Howl's Flying Castle: The Amulet of Draconialis
by purplerose69
Summary: Sophie is learning to live with the twists & turns of being the love interest of Howl, but when a purple letter comes to their Castle, & Calcifer's warnings aren't enough to prevent her & Markl from opening it, a dark part of Howl's past comes flying into the picture. Suddenly an old acquaintance with a grudge remerges, and this time Howl's got something to loose. *via movie*
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: The Omni-Wizard Threat**

"So what is in the mail today?" Sophie asked as Markl opened the front door to their castle.

"Nothing much." Markl took off his wizard's hood. "A few papers from the royalty…something about taxes…and a strange letter in a purple paper..."

"A strange letter?" Sophie asked. She was accustomed to strange ever since she'd become Howl Jenkins Pendragon's partner, but still a purple envelope seemed a strange occurrence for a house- or rather a castle – that rarely ever stayed in one place. Now his new castle flew.

"I wouldn't open that if I were you." Calcifer said sitting snug on the fireplace. "Anything strange should be reported to Howl immediately."

"And says the demon who is free but still sits in the hearth of this castle?"

"I could leave now, if you'd like? The whole place would likely go in shambles considering _I'm _the one holding it up. It'd be way longer of a fall too considering oh I'm holding us up in air now. But rather, I'd think it'd be best for me to stay, and best for _you_ to leave Howl's mail alone."

"What's Howl's mail is my mail." Sophie said in her rather stubborn way.

"You really were fitted for an old woman…in your old stubborn ways. It's not like you're married to Howl anyway…"

"How dare you? Now I certainly will open this." Sophie said as she opened it the envelope transformed into an orb with a fluttering noise with it like it had wings, with a strange spot on it that made it look very closely to an eye.

"I knew it. I knew it. I knew it." Caclifer said as the strange object moved around as if it were actually looking for something. Sophie and Markl ducked on occasion. "It has a spell attatched to it. Now your in for it. When Howl returns you two will be in for it!"

"Well do something! You're a demon aren't you?!"

"Well I am, but I mean I'm only focused on keeping together a flying CASLTE right now… of course who knows how to destroy a-"

"A what?"

They all turned as Howl came through the front door.

"They did it. It wasn't me and even if it was, I'd make sure that I'd check it for magic, so it couldn't have been me."

"Thank you Calcifer. You were always a loyal friend." Howl said rather cooly.

"What is it?" Sophie whispered.

"An Omnioptica…otherwise an all seeing eye…normally used by wizards who want to find something…often belonging to a familiar of the wizard…"

"It's a familiar…eye?" Sophie was used to strange things but this…

"A familiar is like an animal counterpart or henchman…basically like Calcifer but quieter and less demon like." Markl explained.

"And with a clock and a bit of magic…" Howl took out his stopwatch as the Omnioptica began hitting things…or more bumping into things as if it were actually looking for something on the shelf.

Howl didn't like where it was moving. He then took the watch and swung it, humming under his breath. It seemed to lull the magical object. He then raised his hand and pressed it downwards and the magic eye suddenly hit the ground with force before a puff of green smoke, a sizzle, and nothing left but a few words were etched in strange purple ink that fizzled.

"What is it?" Markl asked.

"A warning. From an old…acquaintance."

"Well I daresay you read it aloud?" Sophie looked at him sternly.

"If I must." Howl smirked. She was the only woman who'd never been afraid of him, eating her heart or whatever metaphor that actually was for. Actually she'd been the only one with enough guts to boss him around.

"It says:_ Pendragon, I have found you. Your name supersedes you and I will find what you took of mine, or you will give it to me. Omni-optica, raviena, I see all. ~ GoldenHorn_. – I'm not sure this time how to get this out of the wood._"_

"That sounds like a threat? Who is Alasthorn?"

"_Tatsuo Fafnir Alasthorn_. He's a wizard too, but he abused his powers...as great as they are. When I was a young wizard…when I was above the world, I decided I liked his powers and took something that wasn't mine. That's how I got to become involved with Suliman, as the object I took had a great deal of influence over his power and tyranny, so they basically thanked me for it. I put it in hiding, although they claimed they wanted to keep it themselves for safe-keeping."

"And I presume you still have it?" Sophie asked.

"Well yes, its locked behind an enchanted secret compartment behind the bookshelf, which is not really any of your concern considering one, you cant get in it, and two, his eye didn't see anything that important."

"Well it saw the castle, it saw our location which clearly he knows if he got to the mail box outside one of the doors, and then he saw probably you, and the inside of the castle…oh and maybe Sophie and Markl but that's about it."Calcifer said with a sarcasm that put a rather damp silence on them.

"Was he that powerful of a magician?"

"Well if you think that I look good after a few hair spells, this guys got looking good for his age down to a T." Howl said.

"I think he meant dangerous spells Howl." Sophie said.

"Oh well without his Draconialis Amulet, he's a bit more powerful then me I'd say."

"Well…with it?"

"Considering what it does…pretty damn powerful." Howl stretched, still looking to the floor where the ink still bubbled.

"Well what does it do?"

"Well if I remember correctly didn't it have something to do with Dragons?" Calcifer said.

"That'd be about it." Howl added.

"Why would you keep it then?" Sophie asked. "And wait... Dragons?"

"To be fair I forgot about it. That was until the old castle fell apart. Then anything I had that was enspelled kind of came back and was reassembled into this new one. Took me a while to find a new hiding place and a security spell for it, but it's good now. And mainly control them, or something like that."

"So a power crazed Socerer is after it, who is on the hunt and you are not worried?" Sophie clearly was agitated.

"Look we'll move the castle somewhere else, change the doors and locks, _not_ open any conspicuous unknown mail and I can keep the amulet away from the crazy Sorcerer."

"Sounds safe." Calcifer said.

"Why don't you use it?" Markl asked.

"Unfortunately the Amulet has three-rings that have to be aligned that need a…translator…or manual to open. I didn't steal this nor was I aware of this part, so when I took the Amulet I was naive to think it's workings would be primary. The King, actually…many people were happy including Suliman, who wrote my name down on the notable magical-person list of hers, which has become a larger pain than it has an honor."

"I don't like it. If it's in the same place we are-"

"You don't think I'd keep it around if I thought I'd get you into trouble Sophie?" Howl looked adoringly at her.

"It's not me I'm worried about it's you." Sophie said rolling her eyes.

"Well as sweet as that is, don't. I'm the sorcerer here remember." Howl wrapped his arms from behind Sophie around her shoulders.

"And that's what worries me? You are powerful Howl, but sometimes your ego, I believe supersedes you…"

"And that's what I love about you Sophie. I can't get anything past you and your not afraid to rub it in my face." Howl said with too much enthusiasm.

"Well…I try to stay grounded." Sophie said turning to him.

"And I'll say it again. I love you for it." He kissed her on the forehead and looked to Markl.

"Close the doors, change the Locks, oh and the windows… and Calcifer?"

"Yes?" Calcifer asked.

"Do me a favor and hide us deep in a cloud, or somewhere far away from our current location. Something we wouldn't normally be seen at."

"How about the Ingurd Mountans? Or the Perlanian trees? You know I always wanted to go sight-seeing…." Calcifer said with his touch of sarcasm, enough to question whether he was serious or not.

"Whatever you want." Howl said as he went up the stairs.

"Now Howl, just wait and-" Sophie followed him.

"Do you think she'll ever learn?" Markl asked Calcifer as they watched her run after him up the stairs.

"With her stubborn wit probably not…but Howl does need a good grounding every once in a while."

"Its just weird that they actually kiss and stuff now." Markl said making a bit of a 'yuck' face.

"Actually her kiss does have a kind a little spark to it."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Rambling, Worries and Wizards**

"Don't come up here Soph, I don't want you to see where I'm going to hide it…"

"Well I expect to know. Where _are_ you going to keep it now?"

"If I told you it wouldn't be a secret." Howl said as he stepped into his room, clearly looking for something in one of his dressers filled with glamorous magical items of who-knows-what.

"I think it's best if I know." Sophie insisted, although she could tell he was doing one of those things where he absently listened and did what he wanted to do anyway.

"And why's that Sophie?" He dug a little deeper.

"Because its dangerous and I think I should help you hide it."

"Ah, but you can't get involved in this Sophie…it's not safe."

"Yes well all these secrets aren't too _safe_ nor becoming either…"

"I have a past. I'm a wizard…or a sorcerer, whatever you'd prefer to call it…you should only expect-" He began throwing things out of the dresser drawer in his pursuit for this unknowable object.

"Yes well," Sophie said cutting him off, her voice raising, "If you want me as part of _your future_ you better start filling me in on them. How can you start a relationship based off of lies? No wonder you break so many girls' hearts…if this is just another game to you then-"

"Sophie, how could you say that?" He paused. "Found it!" He took out a box, with an sapphire colour gem on the top. He turned to Sophie. "After all that's happened, I don't want you to know so you don't get hurt. The least you know is better for now. When I now danger is farther than nearer I will make sure to tell you everything, but considering _he_ may have seen something's with that god awful eye of his, you are a liability Sophie and I'd rather not have to worry about you."

"Oh, don't lecture me! I can handle myself just fine. I'm the one who saved you and Calcifer…"

"Maybe, but against a powerful sorcerer?"

"I handle you just fine. Mostly." She said trying to keep up her stern tone.

"Yes well I'm afraid, unlike the Witches of this world, a spell of old age isn't just the worst jinx this Wizard Alasthorn can do."

"Why? What else could he turn me into? A frog? Oh, I daresay you wouldn't love me then, why a frog is even uglier than an old woman..."

"Sophie, please. I'm being serious. He's a wizard I regret getting my fingers into, and mainly all it did was bring me closer to the nagging King's court of sorcerers. Ultimately I don't fear of you becoming a frog, I fear of you becoming…something a little less lively and a little more permanent. If he gets this thing he could use the dragons' of the mountains powers to awaken them and start a whole other war against the Sorcerer's and the Kings Men. Honestly I'm quite over those."

"So what your saying is your worried because he might kill me?

"Well you don't have to put it in such blunt terms Soph…" He cocked his head and slipped the gemmed box into his cloak.

"Well you don't have to make them so lavish." Sophie said. "I appreciate it I do, Howl. But what if he does get it. Or get close to it. I don't want to see you getting hurt either."

"Well let me do what I have to do to keep it safe. If he does come after it, you can stay safe because your rather clueless about it. His vendetta will be with me. And I won't have to worry too much, because without it, he'd give me a pretty fair fight considering I've got a demon star on my side."

"Oh yes, Calcifer's flames of fury will last lavishly with a good old pail of water."

"So there, you look after Calcifer again, and I will look after you." Howl said pulling her in closer.

"Once again, who will look after you?" Sophie said looking up at him.

"Oh well you and Calcifer can…but Markl is coming along too…I should give credit where it is due.."

"Howl!" Sophie scolded, before Howl stole a kiss.

"Come on, if we're up here alone for too long they might start to wonder what we're doing up here…" Howl said as he ran to the stairs and spun down them smoothly, to do who knows what with that strange wooden box.

"Howl!" Sophie said again, her cheeks warm. She really wondered what she'd gotten herself into with him…however it was too late now. She'd sealed that deal the moment she'd gotten onto the Moving Castle almost a year ago…now she'd just have to try to handle the life of a Sorcerer's girlfriend. Much more exciting than a hat-maker…if _exciting_ was the word for it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Pulling At Your Hair**

"So where are you putting it?" Sophie asked still sure she'd find out.

"Not sure. But it seems that where ever I do decide will be a rather difficult hiding place for an Omnioptica, evil Wizard or an ever curious Sophie to find it." Howl merely shrugged.

"I didn't like that thing." Markl complained. "Magic is cool, but flying body parts is rather gross."

"Yea, thank god you don't dabble in that junk." Calcifer said.

"Well I try to keep my _evil_ reputation to a minimal." Howl said casually looking around. "Plus I have you Calcifer, since you decided to stay to keep an eye on the place, don't think I don't appreciate it."

"So where have you moved us to Calcifer?" Sophie asked.

"Up in the mountains really. Too far for most people to even look. Slopes are hard but they hide us well."

"I'm not going to open anymore mail either..." Markl said still clearly disturbed. "Actually I might call it a night."

"And that you don't have to. Until we know that "Goldenhorn" -

"I thought you said his name was Alashorn."

"In his own eyes, he is gold to the world, and the world is but dust to him."

"He nicknamed himself that?"

"More or less, I mean dragons have an obsession for gold, so it is fitting. However Alas can be translated into bad luck, which is all he really is." Howl said finally sitting.

"Not going to hide the precious box with your medallion in it are you?"

"Amulet. Medallions just a hunk of metal. And no, not now, I can tell your not about to give this up Sophie, but as stubborn as you are, I'd rather keep it safe." He patted his jacket.

"Don't expect me to give up that easily Howl." She said as she put her hands on her hips.

"Oh I never do Soph." He gave her a kind look.

Nothing she did ever got under his skin…other than her incident of dying his hair back its normal color…well all the same it was all for the best.

"Well, I'm going to take a quick round about, make sure the dear old Raviena wasn't close by."

Sophie looked to Calcifer. "It's a familiar. Kind of like a Raven, but a little more evil in this case, and a little more apt to magic. Probably a secondary spying device of the old sorcerer."

"Hold the place down for me you three, I'll be back tonight. Don't miss me too much." Howl kissed a swift kiss on Sophie's cheek on the way out the door. So quickly she didn't have a word to say before he left.

"Well looks like I'm not the only one flaming a little red today." Cacifer teased to Sophie.

"Oh shush. Tell me, what else do you know about the famed Alashorn?"

"Well, not that I can say much without Howl giving me an earful, but he was quite a feared sorcerer back in the day. Before Howl even made that deal with me…I'm not even sure he was an apprentice at that point. Sorcerers were powerful, and he well had an amulet that controlled dragons. Dragons are so rare now a days…if he got his hands on that I bet he'd wake them all up…"

"So…he's old?"

"He's got magic on his side. Sure Howls used some stuff to keep up appearances in the past, but this guy? I bet he owes half his soul to the devil for the way he looks for being close to probably a good hundred years…"

"Hundred?" Sophie repeated.

"Oh yea, just like dragons, any really dark magic often requires a trade. To get a favor from a dragon you use blood and gold, to get them to okay you…well something along the lines of that Amulet and a good else who knows what…if he's got his looks like he used to, well there's some good dark-magic trading in that too. I mean Howl made a trade with me. Things just kind of work like that. "

"Why are Sorcerers so vain?" Sophie rolled her eyes and sat, still wondering where Howl would even consider putting that thing.

"Well wouldn't you too if you could find a way to live forever and look good? People are quite vain; you'll find they like you a lot better the more beautiful you are."

"Well I think life shouldn't be short…but I think fate has a good deal to handle in it. And yes, appearances help, but I'm not one to be deceived by them. I've met some rude people who were attractive…its all superficial."

"Well-"

"Wait, Howl wouldn't have left with the Amulet on him! That would be too dangerous! He must have put it somewhere before he left..."

"Now Sophie, don't go looking for it. That eye could come barging back here at any minute, the mountain peaks hide us but the sky cannot be –"

"Oh please Calcifer, I just want to know."

"No, I'm not about to make you a liability…Howl said no and-"

"You're not even linked to him. Plus I mean you're a powerful demon, I should hope you'd be able to save me if it were to come back…"

"Hah, the flattery is nice Sophie but it won't work. I owe Howl, and as long as you two are on the run you need me sitting here right on the stove, as the buring fiery star I am." Califer wasn't about to be sweet talked.

"Oh well I just want to see it at the least."

"Well don't worry about that, you wouldn't be able to, it's only Howl that can get into the Box, and it's only Howl that's going to know where it is."

"Well you know…and wait… only Howl can get into the box…." Sophie remembered the sapphire gem on the top of it. It reminded her of something….

"Oh no, I said too much. I'm really not that concerned, you won't find it Sophie and you'd never figure out what I-"

"It's his necklace isn't it! That sapphire was the same! I bet that's what unlocks it."

"…" Calicifer just breathed out. "I'm done. I'm muting myself until he returns."

"Oh I highly doubt you could do that…" Sophie said before she caught a glimpse of something moving in the darkened sky…or maybe it was her imagination. She glanced harder out the window. The sky was dark…speckled with diamond stars, and a crescent moon…she squinted.

"Calcifer…"

"Yes…"

"That….familiar…would it happen to _look_ like a Raven by any chance?"

"Well that's the idea…"

"Then I'm afraid it may have found us…"

"What? Howl should have seen it."

"Well either Howls going to end up at the doorstep any moment and stop it, or we're going to have to do something?"

"What can I do about a bird?"

"Set it on fire for all I care." Sophie grabbed the broom out of the corner of the room.

"Oh yes, that's good, whack it with a broom, and if you're lucky you can jump on it and fly around after it."

"Oh please, like you had a better idea?"

"Is it coming?" Calcifer asked right before the black bird came crashing through the window, and Sophie began to yell swatting at it.

She looked at it. Larger than a regular raven, and one side of it's head was covered in mechanical gold, as if it was in fact missing an eye…. It crowed and swarmed around, as if it too had an good eye for the Amulet and it's confining box.

That was of course in between the odd swipes Sophie managed to get at it with. The bird, seemingly gave up on it's search for the Amulet, as its one good eye piercingly looked at Sophie.

"Ah, ah Sophie I'd stop hitting it if I were you." Calcifer said trying to help but worried his flames would only set the place up in fire.

"But it needs to get out!" She yelled, when suddenly the bird swooped down and grabbed some hair in its mouth and started to pull.

"AHHH!" Sophie yelled, as the bird tangled her hair, moving the silver locks around, firmly grasping on a piece. She stumbled backwards, dropping the broom at it's tug.

"SOPHIE!" Howl suddenly entered the Castle, and saw it, he flipped his wrist and a small beam of light was suddenly moving towards the bird.

"Ouuuchh!" Sophie said as the Raviena pulled some of her hair in its escape and left, the light chasing it away.

"Are you okay?" Howl said taking her in his arms.

"I-I think. It took quite a bit off…" She looked and saw pieces broken and felt where it had been pulled.

"At least it didn't harm you any worse than hair. Still, out of all things…" He looked around the room carefully.

"Why does it matter?" Sophie asked, blinking away her watery eyes before they could form tears. She looked up to him, his arms still around her.

"Because…we shouldn't be hiding like this again….I was stupid to think moving away would stop him, or at least for a bit. I'm going to need to confront this problem… and …I mean not to worry you Sophie, but the fact that the bird went for you means he's got to know you exist."

"Well, we're going to lock all the windows and-"

"No Sophie. He'll use you to get to me if he thinks your more than a house maid…" Howl sighed. "I checked outside for that thing, It must have seen me leave…god damn, if I can't even stop a bird how am I to stop Alanhorn and forbid a dragon."

Sophie looked to him. He was genuinely concerned. "If you don't want me to know I won't ask. I'll be careful. I don't want you to worry about me. You can do it, we just need to be more prepared."

"I appreciate your words, but we've got a problem that I've been hiding from for too long in our midst. I could hand off the amulet to the King, but anyone whose hands is on it is got a good chance of succumbing to a power trip." Howl said. "I'm going to have to stay up all night and make sure nothing else happens to you."

"I can handle a little hair loss." She rubbed the back of her head.

He smiled at her, his eyes still concerned. Suddenly they widened.  
>"Sophie your bleeding."<p>

"What?" She looked to her hand. A dabble of blood rouged her fingers.

"Let me get something for that. Sit down." He said as he walked to the kitchen area. "Calcifer I want every door and window shut in this place, nobody gets in or out. I'm going to add a protection spell. I need you on the alert."

"Got it boss. Sorry I can't do much other than breathe fire and keep a castle together when I use my energy like this."

"It's fine. It was my fault too for not being more careful. You don't have to call me boss either, flattery works but you don't owe me much anymore." He walked back with a cloth that he gave to Sophie who gingerly put it on her head.

"Old habits die hard." Calcifer kind of shrugged, if a flame could shrug.

"He's going to pay for stealing your starlight locks." Howl stared at Sophie as she cringed at her applied pressure.

"It's okay Howl. Don't start a fight until we need to." She said, as she felt her stomach turn. She knew, apart from her words, things were only going to get more complicated.

"I'm not leaving your side tonight Sophie. I'm going to make sure, this time, that nothing bad happens."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Hearts, Hair and Hexes**

"I'm beginning to think it's more of a bother to have me around, now that I'm not just the clean up-nanny." Sophie said as she took off the cloth from her hair and leaned against the kitchen table.

"Don't say that Sophie. I wouldn't have it any other way. Its not your fault I was a rather reckless runaway kind in my younger years." Howl said after making sure the house was clean of any other spying beasts or much of anything else.

"Yes, I do suppose that part is your fault…" Sophie leaned her head in her hand, resting her elbow on the table.

He looked at her, as she stared off into some unknown direction.

"However…I do wonder, why did you steal so many girls hearts before Howl? I mean was it because you were a play boy or was it because of this…this inability to have people around in these situations…"

"No, originally it had nothing to do with protecting people, but more with isolating myself." Howl sat down beside her. "I never had anyone growing up for most of my life. My parents died when I was young and I was left alone…so I decided that I liked being able to control things at an early age. I couldn't control my parents' death, or at that time my loneliness…life was uncontrollable. I became an apprentice for that reason…and eventually a Sorcerer. Loneliness changed to popularity quick, and girls came and went. I didn't understand love as much as other people did really." He leaned back in the chair. "I grew up lonely, so when the loneliness went away I didn't know how to handle it...handle relationships that is. Then Calcifer's powers helped me so much and I had had the talent for magic, so success went to my head. I grew cockier and more vain and then my breaking hearts was really just my nature. That's how I got in trouble too with this amulet thing. I only really cared after you after I recognized you that day in town…I saw you and realized that someone that passionate about finding me must have a reason for it. It didn't matter how much I tried to push you away, or give a hissy fit especially when you wrecked my hair…if anything you knocked me off my high horse and gave me something to live for other than my own selfish and fleeting escapes from my past."

"I didn't know I made that much of a difference..."

"Sophie how could you say that? I would have probably died weren't it not for you. And now because of it I have a heart that hurts even more than it ever has when you get hurt like this."

"The burden of the heart, but really Howl it was just a bit of a hair pull. Still, if you would have told me all the secrets you'd been running away from earlier…like all of them, this might have turned out a little less rocky."

"Ah, and that's what I love. You're confrontational and not afraid to help me realize these things. I'm learning Sophie I really am. You help me grow, as I can help you." He stared at her a moment longer than he should have. "You really are beautiful Sophie, more than you ever set yourself up to be. But because of all this I'm in constant fear of loosing you and your inner and outer beauty. You know if I wanted to I could hide you…turn you into an animal or something and make you disappear to some other place…"

"Oh no, no rabbit in a hat-disappearing and reappearing magic tricks….not one bit. I'd hate you for it Howl."

"Don't worry; I don't think I could just walk away. I'm too selfish to let you leave without me."

"Well, its not that selfish."

"And I'm on guard now; I don't expect things to be easy…but hows your head?" He noticed she'd put pressure on it again.

"Better now. Doesn't hurt nearly as much…I'm sure my hair looks dreadfully miscut though in the back."

"It's not as bad as you would think…you can't actually see it that much." Howl said standing up and looking at it himself. "I could just take all your hair out if you were really into the drastic approach, but on second thought, I may have something for fixing th length of hair."

"Why am I not that surprised?" Sophie let out a small laugh.

"Hey! I'm not nearly as vain as I was thanks to you! But I still stand by not reorganizing my things unless asked!"

"I'm glad to oblige." She smiled innocently at him.

"I'll be right back. No opening windows or undoing spells. Calcifer…"

"I'm on the look out Howl. I'll just have to tone back in….you twos conversations are getting sweeter and sweeter …I'm going to get sick one day."

"Oh shush Calcifer!" Sophie scolded.

"Hey, I'm just saying, other people live here too…" Calcifer said. "But I agree. I don't doubt that Howl has something for that hair problem...you should see how long it took him to get his hair that golden colour. But, I mean I know first hand how good your hair really is…"

"Well I'd prefer if it was not eaten…I'd rather keep what I have considering how much I gave to you." Sophie admitted. "Maybe I'll make myself a tea to calm my nerves."

"Sure just don't use too much of my heat up…I really-" Calicifer looked to Sophie who hadn't moved from her standing position by the table. "Are you going to wait there for a while, or…or is something wrong because I'll get Howl..."

"I just feel really heavy…as if I can't move." Sophie said. "Maybe I'm just tired or…" Calcifer watched as she slowly slid to the ground her hands steadying her as if there was a weight on her back.

"….oh dear…maybe your sick…should I howl for Howl….oh wow that was strange to say…" Calcifer rambled nervously. "Howl?!" He called out.

"I've got the one…I mean I'm pretty sure this is the one…maybe I _should_ start to organize my potions better-" Howl said more to himself than to Sophie as he came down the stairs before looking up to see her on the floor.

"Howl I think something is wrong…" Calcifer said nervously.

"Sophie-" Howl took one more step forward, as he noticed her crouching stance, when suddenly a spell circle in green lines, glowing with symbols formed around Sophie and with a gush of wind upwards and a green flash of light Sophie was gone.

Howl heard the cracking sound before he realized he'd broken the glass bottle in his hand. He looked down. Another mess. He could almost hear Sophie saying he ought to be more careful with his things as she would likely grab a cloth to clean up another one of his messes.

"What was that?" Calcifer said gingerly.

"Casting circle. Old magic. He used Sophie's hair to get at her. I never would have thought of something like that…he never used to use indirect approaches." Howl said quietly. Caclifer could tell there was a fire about to explode from Howl. Howl walked over to the stove and took out a brick, three from the left, seven from the stovetop, and behind it was the box with the sapphire gem.

"What are you doing Howl? I know he took Sophie but handing him that Amulet is not going to do us any good…we might get her back but we'll be roasted and cooked under the flame of dragons….well I might not, but I like it here in your castle over the hands of some psycho evil dragon sorcerer…"

"Guide us to the east." Howl said, as if he'd paid no regard for Calcifer's rambling warning. "That's where his hideout used to be. I bet its just farther into the Unknown Lands."

"Oh those ones, with all the forests that were torn to shreds when people started building, and the old battle zones of the Sorcerers and Kings….that was a good time. Really, I watched all that from the sky and believe me…I've never seen so much fire and death, and well look at me….sounds like a peachy place to visit." Calcifer caught Howl's stare back at him, which looked much darker than he'd ever seen... since Howl…well Howl had a reputation of much calmer looks.

"Okay...we're setting course for the Unknown Lands." Calcifer said quietly as he shrunk a little.

Howl looked to the box, the sapphire staring back into his blue eyes like an agonizing tease of the contents that had caused him such trouble already. He couldn't tell if he was more mad at himself for letting this happen, or angry that Alanhorn had decided to take things a step too far. Howl decided that this was one of the things he was not going to let himself forget...or forgive.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: There Will Be Blood**

Sophie felt a large pain in her head as she put her hand on her forehead, feeling rather dizzy and disoriented. She swallowed hard. The floor was cold. There was the faint imprint of the green magic that had summoned her here.

She blinked. Most of it was darkness, but what she could see was a ruin of what looked like an old castle…the ones that looked like temples, possibly from the ages of the tales of the Dark Wars? It was nothing like Howls, reminiscent in parts of a an actual temple down the mountain…pillars were half gone, and yet the sky around was darker, she saw nothing beyond that but blackened, burned down forests for miles. Everything looked so desolate. Were these really the Unknown Lands? Nothing she'd ever seen had been left from those days. However…the aura of the room was mysterious. She'd grown to know the feeling magic had. She'd only barely began to wonder if she'd in fact been brought to the lair of-

"So _this_ is Jenkin's new muse? Not what I expected? More of a mouse than the girls he'd had a reputation for?"

She turned her head sharply as a tall, built man,younger than he likely should be if what Calcifer said was right. He stood in stood in sharp green attire: overcoat-cape of a deep dark emerald green, silver embroidery, armored shoulders. His underneath was nothing less, of black pants and an open shirt of black. She wondered if Sorcerers had a dress code.

His hair…was long, held in a pony-tale and black all the same. His face chiseled; handsome, thin, if not for the old silver eyes that darted to her like a snake. Calcifer was right. He was nothing but an old man in a wolf's skin. Still…his eyes shared a similar confidence that Howl's once had…Howl had humbled now, but she didn't find that look or the snake like stare any more than she'd ever liked as an old woman.

"I'm not his _muse_ I am-" She held her tongue. Would it be wise to admit these things?

"If you're insinuating you are the beast that has tamed that mischievous man, I guess what tames a man can come in the meekest of forms. I really do underestimate you then." He held his hand out to her. She looked from him to it hesitantly. She noticed his staff held that god awful Omnioptica, and his bird sat rather dormant on his shoulder.

She decided to steady herself without his help.

"Why did you bring me here?" Her legs faltered a little at the knees.

"Well when my dear ally Raviena failed to find my amulet, I figured that it would be best if I took something of Howl's to even the scales." He looked her up and down. "You've had a good run in with magic yourself? That hair of yours has been touched by a spell; no silver hair I have seen shines like yours." His eyes moved to the place where she had been summoned to; burnt strands of her hair were in the middle of the place where the markings had etched the stone floor.

"That's how you did it? You expect to use me for bait?! I would rather Howl keep the amulet far from you than to ever trade it for my life! I have already experienced most generations life...young and old..., so kill me now, because I will make sure you wreak no more havoc with any dragon-like-evil-wars of yours." She crossed her arms and turned away.

"I would not kill you, not yet anyway." Alasthorn said looking out. "I would have won, I actually betrayed the Sorcerer's in their concept of a truce. I knew the Kings of the world would only try to use our powers. People should worship us. I had the dragons. I was the maker or breaker of the war, until all of the Sorcerers called defeat. They wanted peace suddenly. An agreement was waged; a truce? What is a truce? It is a temporary stall before one part has the one-up enough to conquer the other. I was told to agree to it, and for a while I did. It was about he time when your little Howl decided to steal my amulet that I was about to wage another war; our kind, us Witches, Wizards, Sorcerers, were being used like common carpenters and hat makers for our abilities. Of course only I know how to use it and I will use it. He was seen as a war hero you know? And yet he was just a young man looking for his own way to gain the power I had..."

He turned and looked at her. "Until then, Howl will not get you until he gets me that amulet. Howl maybe a more powerful Sorcerer than he'd been…but I must say it is fun in knowing he cannot play with my little toy, but I can play with his." He took her wrist in a strong grasp and pulled it over her head, almost lifting her off the floor, and looked down to her.

Sophie's eyes widened. "Well I highly doubt Howl is the Howl you remember! I will in fact bet on that!" She pulled back on her arm failingly. "Why don't you just kill me now!"

"Howl would need to recognize all my spells on this place. Do you think that there is a reason that the Unknown Lands are a place where _nobody_ ever travels? I keep this place hidden and protected. And well, I've heard of Howl's castle of junk. Lets see how that works out in these lands. They're old and full of ruminants of the dark unknown ages."

"He's a better sorcerer thank you'll ever be; A better person. Howl is-" Sophie knew she should bite her own tongue, but on the other hand she figured she was already quite doomed. She didn't like the way he held on to her or that evil possessive look in his eyes.

"Howl I going to give it up. I will awaken my dragons. And you my dear are collateral damage that makes this much more interesting I'd say. I could turn you into a dragon and control you, or even a mouse, but I'm finding your spunk a little more amusing." He threw her back towards the marks on the floor when suddenly they rose like a barrier around her. She tried to press her hand against it to see if she could escape, but her fingers singed with burns from the hot green spell.

"You'll find my old magic, is far superior to the new stuff the Kings of the world have shown the new Sorcerers… all safe stuff; keeping us at bay for their own wars. Treaty? Truce? Hah, my dragons will awaken and I will have the blood of those who produced this pointless undermined vision of Sorcery as the fuel to my war."

Sophie felt her stomach turn at the thought of blood. He saw her face whiten.

"My dear mouse, you really must have realized, that from the moment you fell for that mischievous man Howl, that you would be stepping into a world of Sorcery and an ongoing war. As long as we threaten you regular folk with out powers, anything that people see as strange will be scary and in that there will always be blood." He turned away.

"I'm not a MOUSE my name is SOPHIE!" She yelled after him as he left. "And there doesn't have to be blood…" She swallowed… Does there?


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Alasthorn's Contemplations**

"Dear Ravena, I can already foresee his emergence on the horizon, in that questionable moving contraption of his. I don't question the fact that he will come for the mouse. I do hope he decides to play fair. It would be shame to be rid of that girl so soon. She's quite amusing."

He looked over the lands. He remembered the days of war so well. With Dragons by his side, awakened from the ruins of their bones in the hills he could convince many of the wizards and witches to side with him… fear equaled power. Only then would he have a chance to over through the kingdom's and bring the magic users back to power.

The time had long passed since they were feared…nearly twenty years – it was a petty fear now, a fear of a magical sense of elixirs that heal the unfortunate and petty "castles" composed of junk such as he had found through Ravena's Omnioptica. It was a strange contraption for the only other wizard that seemed to isolate himself from the King's Men. But then Howl was no different from himself; at the basis of his identity with that demon by his side, he was a vain man, who adored isolation, and loved power. He was a younger version of himself, although one would never know.

He saw his own reflection in a puddle of dark water; this place was the most run down of old Japanese castles on the blackened hills, and yet it suited his desolation. Sure he aged a good five or ten years older then the youthful Howl, but he still looked much less than his real age. His dark magic gave him strength and muscle, a youthful look that graced his past self's slender structure. He was a handsome man, and always would be; death would escape him, and upon his powerful return he would regain his status.

He looked up to see Ravena questioning his last words. He could hear the bird the same way one could control a dragon's intentions with that Amulet- not in words but in feelings, a supernatural sense of language that came from his familiar's bond. Similar to sharing a soul, they were linked.

"No, no, I know what you think. I have always had a soft spot for women, but no, she is but a tool for a means to an end. I have a better fate for her; Howl should know that I do not intend to play fair. I don't doubt that he will try a trick or two either. However, I have the rings to unlock the Amulet to open it to the Dragon's Bloodstone. He also has no clue of its dark nature. He took it out of innocence; some pathetic belief that he could control it all due to his power over a demon, and yet some of the dragons in this world are more powerful then demons combined. He does not know how it works, and like everything I am prepared to make a sacrifice…" He smiled to himself, and turned to look at the Raven. "…And I am quite sure that sacrifice will be the true moment of display of which Wizard is truly the most powerful. I do think the anticipation of seeing Howl loose something is much more inviting than just playing a game of even trade don't you?"

The Raven seemed to be keen to this answer and flew over to Alashorn's shoulder.

"I must request that you relay a quick trip to see if his disastrous castle is to attend our humble welcome any time soon. I expect to see him here on this end." He turned away, as Ravena flew off into the darkened hills.

"Now, back to the amusement at hand." He left the room and returned to the place where Sophie was, crunched in a ball, her head in her knees trying to ignore the flames around her.

"No, use for pouting. If you really must know you can't go anywhere anyways." Alashorn said, and relinquished the flame. He reached his hand to help her up. This time she reluctantly took it.

"Look at your hand." He said as he released it from his grasp as she stood.

She opened her hand and saw a mark on it. It was in deep purplish ink, glowing faintly, like blood, that didn't leave when she rubbed on it, but below the skin, not quite like a tattoo.

"It's a binding rune, and yes, it is older magic. Don't expect to leave this place, without feeling immense pain of sorts..." His voice was passive, and she hated herself for having ever taken this man's hand for assistance.

She stood in place, like stone. Her nails digging into her palms of her hands, wondering how someone could cast on a spell without even a muttered word. Maybe it wouldn't be bad if Howl taught her something for protection…if she ever returned to him.

"So, tell me. How has Howl changed? I'm interested. If you say he is as different as you believe him to be, I really do want to know how. Believe me, no tricks."

"How can I believe that?" She asked accusingly.

"Because, Howl is only good alive, if he has the Amulet with him, I must depend on him to give it to me in one peace. I don't doubt he keeps it safe with a seal or something, and I require that seal to be broken. I only wish to know if a person can really change- for in the past, I've seen good men turn bad, and bad men turn good, but for the most part it was only in appearance not in their true nature. Change is hard, and few people truly change. "

"He isn't a bad man. He kept his reputation of his past of being around girls up in our town…well…for solitude and lack of …commitment maybe, but he committed to me and seeing out his own refusal face to face with the King. He helped interfere with the wars at his own dispense, and he stayed around for us. He learned to be less vain, he doesn't dye his hair blonde anymore…or wear such an elaborate outfit as such he did once… and he helped me remove my curse by regaining my confidence in life, giving me a reason to exist."

Alashorn stared at her.

"What?" She said realizing her rant may have gone too far.

"Nothing. I find it interesting that amongst all odds you seem to believe that happiness is really possible. That you believe in him that much." His face grew smug.

"I-I- know it. I don't expect him to make one rash decision on my part. Howl is worth much more than I am."

"Also, you seem so willing to sacrifice yourself for him? Tell me how far would you go to make sure he lived even if you died?"

"As far as need be." She said. Her words were stubborn, but at the core of them she knew his questions had an intention behind them that was probably of the most sinister sort.

"Fair enough. Well we'll know soon. When Ravena returns I will know how far he is from his long awaited arrival." 


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Never As Easy As It Seems**

"Calcifer while I'm gone I need you to make sure everything is ready. The moment I bring Sophie back is the moment I need you to stop her from going after me again." Howl put on his old jacket over his shoulders. His hair was still black, which unfortunately made him and Alashorn look similar in one way. However, there was no point in hiding it from ol' youthful. Sophie would probably think less of him if he changed it again. There wasn't much of a point anymore, and appearances clearly were deceiving in this case.

"But you know she'll hate it! Plus you can't actually give him the actual amulet? And you know she's going to put me out like a candle if it means being able to go through that door after you if you go back to retrieve it!"

"I'm sorry Calcifer. Markl just make sure she doesn't get to any running water. Also when I send the signal: be ready."

Markl nodded.

"I mean why don't you just suck up to the guy or something? Alashorn and his dragons can go run a muck and we can stay nice and cozy here…" Calcifer complained.

"I'm sorry. I'm not going to put this world at danger."

"Oh, right, I forgot you have your heart back…" Calcifer rolled his eyes. "Well…good luck against that guy. And by the way can you lock _every_ door, nook and cranny this time because honestly if that bird gets in here and lets out another spell, I won't even need to do anything, and this place could burn with that old voodoo stuff…"

"It's not voodoo. It's old magic, curses…and I don't doubt some other tricks. I'll make sure everything locked, and Markl I'd close the chimney. Don't let anyone in that doesn't give a signal or my knock…I expect that rule to be followed to a tee."

"Alright, alright enough with the rules." Calcifer said. "Keep on like this and he'll have her-"

Howl gave him a shaded look. "Hold it down for me Markl." Suddenly Howl left, and the door locked with a click.

"Do you think Sophie is alright?" Markl asked.

"I'd like to say so. But the old Alashorn I knew was almost more of womanizer than Howl used to be, and hated humans nearly as much as he liked to kill them with dragons. Plus, Howl didn't have his heart back then…it's going to be a tough one."

Howl saw it on the horizon. An old castle, much like a temple, large and in ruin. The area around here was blackened, like a permanent soot of death had lied down here. It looked deserted but he knew all too well that Alashorn would have cloaked the place. He had stayed hidden for nearly ten years now.

He wondered if he should have spent more time working on strengthening his powers, now that Calcifer wasn't supporting him, instead of roaming the hills blissfully with Sophie. In retrospect, his actions in his past were mainly poor. He should have expected a bad outcome by now.

He stood on the disheveled hill, and could sense the force in front of him. He closed his eyes. If he could see the spell, he could open up a space to let him through. He felt his hands tracing the edges of it. Like a glass dome it was there. He swiped his hand tracing some kind of pattern- a charm, and it opened.

He still had it, one way or another.

* * *

><p>Sophie looked at her hand. If she cut it off would it go away? Maybe Howl could get her a new one…<p>

Oh dear what was she thinking? She wasn't a rag doll in which one could sew bits and pieces back together… surely that wasn't the fix for every time Alashorn put a spell on her.

And even if Howl did come, which he shouldn't, how could she expect to leave? Did Howl know how to get rid of it?

And how come she was so dependent on him? It was terrible she couldn't do anything for herself…

"Oh come, you can't really be fretting about it? Is it so hard to think you'll have to spend the rest of your days with me?"

She looked at him. His black hair pushed back, long, held in that ponytail just below the nape of his neck. His eyes reminded her of a snake again – predator like. His black cape he wore around his shoulders, around some older looking costume of war wear, in silver and green. More so it was strange; the eyes of someone old, and cold, but his face and body, youthful and strong, angled chin. He looked built for war. His hair was meant to be grey like his eyes – it wasn't like Howl's – it was unnatural.

"I don't hope to spend many more. I'd rather suffer the consequences of leaving."

"Why the dramatics?" His cold demeanor covered anything that resembled welcome. He began to realize the real way to win this battle might be to construe her away from Howl. "It does not have to be so hellish staying here. I could make it worth your while…"

"I don't expect that is how you treat a guest then? Bribing them with some kind of evil or perverse action? I'd rather escape and let my hand burn for eternity."

"So stubborn… You must really have it bad for Howl…tell me are you married to him?"

"No not particularly." She hadn't thought of it. They'd spent nearly a blissful year on their own. She never needed the ceremony for it. Frankly it would have been for themselves – neither one of them had too many friends. But Howl had never asked, and she'd never expected him to, at least, not so soon.

"So should Howl leave you, you could go find yourself another?"

"I would not let Howl die. And he would not willingly leave me..."

"Let him? My dear what power do you have? And I didn't say die. If he _did_ get his heart back…I'd be interested to see how he'll try to distance you so you don't get caught up in all of his evils. Everyone will be after him when the war starts. It would be best if you ran to town now and found yourself a mortal lover before the world goes to chaos. The only person you would be safe beside would be a wizard or witch who joins my side…or myself of course."

"You're speaking nonsense."

"And you think Howl would survive against a tirade of dragons? Against me? Against myself and likely others like me who are sick of the submissive lifestyles of your little kingdoms? What did he do when the humans last went to war with themselves?"

She recalled his changing form last time. It nearly got him stuck as that bird creature; only so he could help aid in preventing damage from the war on the city. If he tried something like that again, quite frankly, without Calcifer she didn't know if he'd make it.

"Why do you have to wage a war? Can't you just look for forgiveness? Maybe then you could find a place to be where you're not so alone?"

"I am not Howl, nor will I be subjected to your feeble words of redemption." He said. "But to make things more interesting, I will leave you one choice in all of this. If you don't come to realize sometimes your decisions must be selfish – you must look out for yourself first, then I am afraid I will have to find a more temporary use for you."

"You want me to be selfish or let myself be killed?"

"If it was an ultimatum, then yes. And I will likely give you one if you'd like? Once you realize that your future with Howl was ill fated from the moment in his past when he took my amulet. My dear never settle for the second most powerful man, for the most powerful wizard will surely take all he has." Alashorn turned. "All the same, my dear familiar tells me we will be seeing Howl soon. In that case I must go attend to the task at hand."

He left Sophie to her seldom. He didn't even cast a spell to keep her confined. It was probably to challenge her to try to escape. She wouldn't side with Alashorn, even if he ended up being the stronger of the two. If death was the answer...well she'd rather not think about it on those terms.

She prepared herself to sit on the floor for a good while again when she heard a noise by the window. It was broken and tattered with jagged edges of glass, but she swore she heard something.

She walked over and then saw a hand emerge from the window. She hesitantly took it and found herself floating out into the air. She looked to see Howl standing next to her.

"But how?" She said.

"Don't worry, I left a decoy on the doorstep. Once I get you back and safe to my castle I will deal with this issue more permanently. Also did you think people could see us when this happened in town back in the day? I do disguise these walks in magic."

"But Howl you can't expect that you'd get away with this again- I mean avoiding the confrontations of it all and-"

"No, I don't intend to hide. But I don't like the idea of you getting in the middle."

She noticed he'd been absently guiding her away from the castle. Their feet moving faster then she'd expected.

"But Howl, wait I-"

"No we cannot wait. I can't have the bird following me to our home; you must let Calcifer take you away from here and then-"

"Away? No, no you can't do this on your own…I won't let you-"

"No getting fussy about it. Now get ready we have to walk over the gap from here to be there quicker-"

"No Howl, please stop that's not it- I just-"

Howl was ready to take the next step off the edge of the jagged rocks when Sophie let out a shrill scream.

"Ahhh!" She instantly crouched, her left hand grasping at her right shoulder as she felt tears come to her eyes. The pain, it was unbearable. Not more than a few meters away from the old castle and it felt like it would tear her apart.

"What happened?" He asked, his blue eyes wide.

She groaned and flipped her right hand over. The rune had turned into a kind of cut, as a bit of blood revealed the rune symbol in dull red, as a mark on her hand.

He saw the rune. "Oh, Sophie…I don't know runes well. I have a book back at the moving castle but I can't promise I could do anything for it…I must find something. Calcifer must have some knowledge of them. They are beyond my time."

"That's why…he-did-" She felt the pain stir this time into her chest. "…So you wouldn't be able to get away with-"

"He knows I can't hide. He's doing this to play games with me. If you can't manage to get back to the castle, I'll just have to return with a way to reverse the curse."

"I'm so sorry Howl." She started to tear up. Her chest and arm hurt, but what hurt her more was how much of a burden she was. "I'm a burden am I not?"

"No Sophie." He carried her in his arms, reluctantly heading back for the ruined castle. "And the more you say it the more I'll half expect you to turn back into an old woman. You are never a burden for me. This was my own doing. If it were not you, it would have been Markl suffering, or some other way of revenge. I did this to you. I am my own burden."

"But-if it wasn't for me-"

"I decided a while ago I was never going to run away from anything, mainly because I _want_ to protect you Sophie. Even if you don't want me to, you're going to have to accept it. Now, give me a bit. I'll work on another way to get a remedy here, and then I'll have you run to the castle yourself if need be."

She felt her feet hit the cold floor and her pain seemed to dissipate.

She felt footsteps and looked out the broken window panel. Howl was already out of sight. How could she handle this when both Howl and Alashorn liked to appear out of nowhere?

"What are you looking at? For Howl to return?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Preparations before Confrontations**

"I-I…" Sophie stepped back from the broken panel.

"Please. If he thinks games are going to work? And naive enough to think I wouldn't have found a way to keep you put? Is this really the same Howl were talking about here?" Alasthorn's voice was passive, and strong. In physical demeanor he looked like he could in fact take on Howl. Kind of like a large dragon. But Sophie knew better than to undermine Howl's abilities.

"It was a mistake."

"A mistake that could have cost you your life." His voice taunted her.

"My life?!"

"Of course. Long enough away and you'd be bleeding from your hand so bad your heart would likely stop." Alashorn said. "Don't give me that look, I don't plan to be undermined. He shouldn't underestimate what I will do for that Amulet. On the other hand, if you stay here you'll be fine."

"But Howl…I've seen him make spells-"

"No. Not the same. That's transporting magic. A magic that came from a new language. Think of it like language: An Old and a New. His doesn't use runes or the kind of magic that asks for a trade, because when new spells were discovered that didn't need trades or use darkness they banned them. Why do you think people disliked the Witch of the Waste so much? The same kind of powerful curse you were under comes from the same kind of Old Magic I use. I doubt Howl would have kept you under it if he knew how to fix it. It asks something of the person it entraps and often calls for a sacrifice the darker it becomes."

"You can tell…about my past curse?" Sophie realized her conversations were getting longer with Alashorn. But alone it was to depressing not to at least talk to someone in this cold, damp place. Maybe she could learn something that would help her.

"Every spell leaves a trace. We can all see them. But there's an aura about you I can't understand. You're not a witch yourself are you?"

"Well…"She considered lying but what good would it do her? She couldn't cast a spell anyway. "…I don't believe I am."

"Then neither will I believe." He said bluntly. His words were echoed in such a cold and passive manner. It was only that one time when he inquired about her that his voice softened…but it was only out of a selfish self-interest she supposed. He was probably like most men; excited by any women they'll wag their tail at. Surely he'd aim for something much more than her, in all his intentions to win a war and be powerful. "In that case, if you will not see things my way clearly now you know that you will probably die, whether it be trying to escape or out of being useful for me in some way. I'll enjoy the company I have with Howl's muse. This won't be a quick trade. Howl has too much of a heart now to sacrifice you and millions of people. He'll try something and when he does, by that point, if you haven't at least tried to see things my way then I guess you'll end up as amusement." He seemed to almost shrug. His eyes moved down, hovering her darkly.

"I'm not a performer, or entertainer. I don't have any skills-"

"How childlike. Not that kind of amusement. Knowing that what I do to you will directly effect Howl makes your place in this situation a dangerous one."

"How can you be so…so… dark?" She stepped backwards.

"When you realize this world condemns the strange and fears the powerful. " He took her chin forcefully in his hands. "Howl never got any favor for all he did for that war. Neither did you. Every Sorcerer is feared and strange unless we have a use for the mundane people. When we're done being used for a purpose, we're become just another thing for them to alienate. However, I get the feeling your not as mundane, strange little mouse. You know isolation. And although you don't have power, you're hand in Howl's doing is quite remarkable. The anomaly of yourself is entertainment enough, it would be quite sad to see it leave the world so soon." He released his grasp and moved his hand as if he was pushing down on something in the air. Sophie felt a terrible weight in her legs and shoulders and found herself sitting on the ground, unable to move as if a force of weight was pressed on her. "I know mice tend to make little holes in the wall to escape with so maybe this will keep you grounded this time. Realize if Howl does do anything right, I will always be a step ahead."

"And what if Howl is a step ahead of that?"

"Oh what does he have that I do not? A bunch of junk that flies by the power of a little fire demon? All the same, his spells are secondary to mine. Without that burnt out star, he'd be nothing at all."

She watched as he slammed the door behind him.

She tried to stand again but felt like gravity had increased so much she couldn't move. She decided to drop her head and try to sleep. She was powerless, and at least in sleep she could escape these feelings of uselessness and the cold.

Alashorn stood outside the door. So Howl thought he could get away with taking Sophie back as easy as once took the Amulet from under his nose? He looked to Ravena. Maybe it would be best to submit to the young and cocky sorcerer's expectations... what better revenge was surprise? Along the way he would attain the Amulet, but what better way to get revenge then to take it from an unsuspecting foe...

* * *

><p>"Calcifer, do you know constricting runes? I'm afraid his dark magic is even better then the the old Witches used to be…" Howl was throwing books and small trinkets of magic around the castle. Markl was trying to catch them, afraid of what Sophie would say to letting their home get disastrous in her absence.<p>

"Well…maybe…I have seen them in my past, but to get rid of those you need an Aztec stone from the same era as the run…and then was it a …rock of …"

"Oh come on Calcifer we're not casting old spells in caldrons now are we…"

"You might as well be! Unless you practice that dark magic, like I do…feeding off something to produce stronger magic, you'll need something to cover over it, and then a lifting spell to erase it, stronger than those ones you used to erase the Witch's curses from the table!"

"Fine. Whatever it will take to get Sophie back." He looked to his palm and then for his collection of old stones. "Do I need to melt anything else?"

"A piece of jade...would probably work.. And if you have a dove's feather… or some white bird…You need something from the spell's origins, something for freedom and something for healing, and then with my flame mix it into dust. Then you'll have to leave that place and put it on the rune with her blood. Then hopefully you can find a lifting spell in one of those old books you have…curses are hard. Runes are like a bad version of a curse that depends on the ability to heal the wound to remove it."

"How can I compete with his sort of magic?" Howl didn't like the feeling Alashorn gave him. For a long time he could outsmart any and all other sorcerers. Alashorn had years of practice of a dark magic. The same kind of dark magic he tried once to play with as that bird creature. Even then he knew he could have lost his humanity for that price.

"Honestly I could smite him but I-" Calcifer started noticing Howls turmoil. It wasn't like him to act like this.

"I could make another deal with you Calcifer…"

"No, no. None of that. Do you know how long it took for Sophie to reverse ours? I'm free now. I will help you however you want but not that. I'm not a dying breed anymore."

"You can be so selfish." Howl said and then pressed the pot over Calcifers flame. "This is primitive spell making, it better work."

"Just trust me for once. And when she get's back here this time, tie her to a bed or a chair or something so she can't follow you out." Calcifer said. "And watch it your going to smother me with that thing if you press down any more."

"I don't think Sophie likes bondage much, but I do see you're point." Howl nodded his head to the side in consideration.

"Oh Howl come on, even with her not here, I have to listen to some kind of shameless flirting! Just melt this stuff and get us out of this mess…" Calcifer said.

"Do you think if I used a healing spell along with a lifting one it might work better…Lifting an imprint won't get rid of the spell but if I heal her body too…" Howl ignored his complaints.

"That could work…but can it actually be done with out Alashorn interupting?"

"I know your powers used to back me up, but I have my Uncle's blood in me. I'm a Sorcerer with or without my heart or a demon deal to go with it. If it gets rough I will ask you for another deal Calcifer. I'll just have to leave it to Sophie to undo it again, as a thanks for me saving her now."

"Oh yes, apart form all the impending doom of the Dragons and the evil Sorcerer …or returning the Amulet…oh yes, sounds like a fool proof plan…" Calcifer rolled his eyes.

"Now that I'm not attached to you, you should watch your mouth Calcifer." Howl's mouth lifted into an amused smile, before he dropped the jade pieces in letting the sound echo from the pot, making it vibrate over Calcifer.

"Well at least watch what your doing! I'm more than a stove. You know your acting more and more like the Old Sophie did…her wit is rubbing off on you."

"Well you can thank her for that when she returns. Increase your heat Calcifer, we need to get this done soon. I don't doubt Alashorn was already aware of my arrival and departure the last time I attempted to save her."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Come and Go**

Sophie was bent over on her knees, her head touching the cold ground. She didn't feel like moving. At one point she'd tried to pinch herself to see if she could awaken from this nightmare. She hadn't moved an inch for a while now. The sun was just beginning to set on the horizon, past a dark cloud of grey. It seemed in this place, the sun never quite sat in a blue sky. Everything was covered in darkenss.

The broken window brought in a cold breeze.

She preferred being an old woman to this. At least then she could move around and do things. She might as well be a rock now. No matter how she tried to sit up she felt like she had a boulder on her back.

Suddenly she heard the flapping of wings. She looked up expecting to see that Alashorn's familiar, but instead a Magpie of white, blue and black flew through the open window.

She sighed and put her head back, nuzzling her face into her knees.

Suddenly she felt it land on her head.

It pecked her.

She shook her head. The confound bird! What kind of bird would enter such a dreary place? Could it be … Howl?

She jolted up and suddenly it flew off of her.

"Howl?" She said to it. It looked back at her a moment. "No, you couldn't be. I'd be too lucky if he found that remedy this soon." She tilted her head down.

Suddenly the magpie changed into Howl.

"It pains me how you doubt me so Sophie." He whispered in a hushed voice and relieved the pressure from her shoulders.

"But how did you get in?" She stood up stretching.

"Not easily. That Raven is a vicious bird on the watch. I left Alashorn a gift so he should be busy at the moment. But only for a short while. Here."

He took her hand and stuck it out of the window for a moment. In a few moments a faint rim of blood sat on top of the mark. He took the powder from his pocket, covered her hand in the greenish-black soot, and focused his power on her hand attempting to wipe off the mark and heal it at the same time.

Sophie had never really seen him focus so hard. She felt a strange tingling in her hand. She wanted to pull away, but she knew she couldn't.

"There." He said breathing out a sigh. His shoulders seemed to lower.

"You look out of breath almost Howl."

"His old magic will make for a good challenge at times for me, but in the end it should only make me stronger. Like The Witch of the West's loss of power it can be done...however Alashorn has been around longer than her. It's going to end up being hard work and one clever way to outsmart him. Once I can undo these kinds of things, I will be closer to undoing him. Put your hand outside the window for a few more minutes. Make sure it doesn't reemerge. Then we're off. "

"But you know that if I'm not here when he returns he's bound to do something worse." She did so and noticed it didn't return. She felt a less physical wait lift off her shoulders this time.

"We'll consider these things back at _my castle_." Howl took her hand. "However, I find it strange that he did nothing else to secure you. I don't doubt he is aware that I attempted to relieve you of this place the first time." He took her hand and guided her out.

"Well he's bound to see us walk out."

"We're not walking we're flying. How do you feel about a dove?" Howl smirked.

His mind however was elsewhere. He'd have to face the fact that he'd provided Alashorn with a fake. He planned to eventually leave the amulet inside both the sapphire box and one he'd had Calcifer seal to give them time too get away before he'd return to face Alashorn. Alashorn would be stuck for the time being, but it made him doubt that taking Sophie back would be this easy. They flew off as a pair of birds too easily. Ravena wasn't around this time. It was high time he put a seal around the Castle and left them to wander away from the mountains, far from Alashorn's grasps.

"Oh good you're back safe!" Markl said the minute they were through the door. He hugged Sophie's skirts.

"For now she is. But I'm afraid I have to return. I need to confront Alashorn. I think it's high time I stop running from things…and this time I'm not involving you Sophie. I learned that the hard way."

"But you can't give him the Amulet?!" Sophie looked wide eyed.

"No. I left him a decoy before. Our leaving was too simple. However giving him the actual thing will provide us with some time as long as I keep it safe and contained. I can't imagine he will have a fun time getting rid of a demon unique seal from Calcifer…nor the that wonderful spell-proof chest I attained long ago. If I give him the Amulet in both of those it will give us enough time to find a safe place for you all to reside. That way this issue remains just between Alashorn and I."

"I don't like it Howl." Sophie turned away.

"It's a dangerous game with him Sophie. That is why getting the three of you away from here is the first priority when I return from this errand. I think it would be best if I put a seal around on the house…if you stayed in place Calcifer could you uphold a seal like the one you put on that box?"

"What do I look like? I mean I'm providing heat, cooking your food right now and holding up this place by its hinges? Unless you can give me something really good to feed off of it's going to be hard to do everything around here."

"Nothing we can sacrifice has existed on these mountains or for miles since the war. We'll have to make due with a regular one on the doors and windows. That should keep out that omnioptica or the familiar for now . I'm sure dealing with Alashorn will not entail one trip. I'm quite sure letting his you go so easily will only remain this easy if I keep my end of the bargain… which will be a hard thing to keep considering the nature of that Amulet... " He paced a bit.

"How can you be so relaxed about it Howl?" Sophie said sitting on the stool. "And how do you expect me to stay here and wait? What if he kills you…"

"You should have seen _him_ when _you_ were gone, Howl nearly broke the-" Markl started.

"Ah, Markl I think she gets the point. And I expect you to because you're not a sorcerer or a witch and I'm well aware that Alashorn is purely diabolical when it comes to revenge. I was cocky and childish in my earlier youth to steal his treasure. However I know well enough that if any other sorcerer would have stolen it they would have never have been able to hide it as long as I had…and in that predicament I would have been called upon to aid in it's retrieval anyway. So that leaves us with this current situation and frankly you need to stay safe with Markl and Calcifer. Actually Markl…maybe you could go to town and get us some things to feed the fire with? Maybe the downtown meat shop?"

"I'll do it."

"Maybe a heart of something. See what kind of crazy thing people are eating now a days and Calcifer can use it so we can seal this place shut." Howl said. "And Sophie, I don't want to, but I'll bind you to here the same way Alashorn did if it means you wont come after me if I don't return right away. I'm not going to fight him to the death just yet."

"If you must... But if you don't return, I will find a way to get you back." Sophie said.

"I'd do the same for you." He said, and took her chin in his hand.

"You just did. Now go already before the Moon rises or you won't have the dark to make it into that place." Calcifer rolled his eyes.

"You're right Calcifer. Its just past the horizon now. I'll be back by sunrise tomorrow at the latest." He kissed Sophie on her head and left for the door just as quick.

"I hate this."

"He's not even gone yet, he's still sealing the place Sophie."

"He might as well be, I can't see him and I know exactly how evil and …corrupt that Alashorn is. He's at least two of Howl in shoulder width and those silver eyes… he's just so-"

"Evil. Crazy. Another lunatic Socerer gone crazy with power. The worlds full of em." Calcifer sighed. "You know you're lucky people just don't make deals with falling demons like they once did, or you' d have a lot more people as powerful as Howl walking around with a lot more diabolical agendas. We demons will do mostly anything."

"Then how come its so hard to get you to do things? It isn't fair that we cant support Howl as much as he supports us…in terms of going against Alashorn…he can protect us but we can't help him."

"I'm sure he'll figure it out Sophie. He's had a knack for that…"

"I'm sorry Calcifer. I just hate this." Sophie repeated as she drummed her fingers on the table for a while until her own rhythms put her to sleep.

_Knock, Knock, Knock._

Sophie sat up quickly. The moon was in the sky. She looked to the door.

"Calcifer who is here?"

"Like I know? If the door is sealed we have to let the person in from the inside. Even Howl would be-"

"Could Howl have returned already?" She said and got up. She looked through the peep hole.

"I don't think that's Howl. His knock isn't- no, Sophie wait-"


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Eyes are the Windows To the Soul**

"No, no it's Howl!" She said to Califer looking out the door peep hole.

She opened the door to see Howl in front of her.

"Thank you… Sophie."

"You're back soon."

"After I left the box I had to get out of there. He's quite clever the way he has that place set up. The inner box will be the hardest to break so at least there is that."

"So are we going to do that seal?" Califer asked a little suspiciously.

"Tomorrow. I'm quite tired. I think I'll go to my room. Actually Sophie could I talk to you in a moment or two?" Howl didn't even glance Califer's way. He just looked to Sophie.

Sophie caught something strange in his eye. She nodded. Howl left to the upstairs.

""Something is off. Howls leaving a tinge of dark magic in the air..." Calcifer said. "Sophie can't you just-"

"Do you think he had to use that dark magic stuff again? I'd hate to see him struggle and turn into that bird creature! I'll be right back Calcifer." Sophie didn't care if she came up a minute too soon for the most part. She needed to talk to Howl too. She ran up the stairs.

"Sophie, that was _not_ what I was suggesting… Then again…it _could_ be that…" Calcifer sighed, eyeing the stair case.

"Howl?" She opened the door to his room. It was mostly dark.

"Yes, Sophie. Come in for a minute."

Sophie came in and suddenly she was dragged onto the bed.

"Howl?! What's gotten into you?"

"Oh come on, Sophie, aren't you prepared to play a little cat and mouse tonight?"

"Cat and mouse? Howl, I am not a mouse!"

"Oh but I think you are." Howl smiled. He blinked at her in the dim light and suddenly his eyes weren't blue but a silver color.

"HEL-" She started to scream when he put his hands over her mouth. Suddenly she lost the ability to talk.

"Howl is at my castle looking for me, to play games and bribe me about that little box he left on my doorstep. I know the amulet is in there. So, He's walking into a labyrinth of rooms and until I return he will not be able to exit. My illusionary dark magic is quite impeccable…enough to keep him on his feet for a while. Of course, it's that gift of a box I want to know about? You wouldn't happen to know how to open it? It's a suspicious box that contains what I need…if you tell me I wont do anything you wont like. I know that outer one is a Demon's seal, but the inner one is a rare find on his part. I need that. Since he decided to steal you back or rather I let him, you ought to let me know the secret to it since we're on quite uneven grounds."

She looked at Howl's face. But not Howl. It was so scary. She felt her voice come back. "I'd never te-" Suddenly it was gone again.

"I thought not." He said. "Oh well." Suddenly she felt darkness twist around her like a snake. "Then I guess since Howl left me with box I cannot open, I'll just have to make due finding amusement elsewhere."

His voice was in her ear. She could hear it like a predator, or a snake. His voice was perverse and dark. Hissing away from her as she lost consciousness.

-

Suddenly her eyes opened and she felt herself scream the scream she'd wanted to yell when the disguised Alashorn had silenced her earlier. She couldn't stop letting it out. It was shrill to her own ears.

"Sophie!?" Calcifer said in surprise hearing it from below. Markl was already gone to the market through the portal.

Suddenly the door opened again, this time it was…Howl ?

"Howl when did you leave last night?" Calcifer asked, confused.

"What do you mean, I just got back? Why is Sophie crying like that?" Howl looked wide eyed.

"Oh, no. Howl was Alashorn at the castle?"

"Not sure. He left me in a maze. By the time I got out of his spell I was back at the entrance. I was afraid it would resort to these games but-" Howl was running up the stairs as he talked. Then he stopped. "Wait why?"

"Because _you_, or someone pretending to be _you, _by some almost untraceable dark magic, came here last night and called Sophie up to your room. She let you in, even though I warned her it wasn't your knock…and I thought I sensed dark magic I just didn't know if you'd called on that old stuff again and -"

"SOPHIE." He called out as his eyes widened, and opened the door to his room .

Sophie was on his bed, amongst an aura of darkness, being pushed away by the light in the window. Her dress was ripped down her shoulder and she looked cut and bruised in places. The bed was disheveled. Her eyes almost seemed blank as she cried.

"Sophie it's me! What happened?"

"No, Howl…is it…let me see your eyes…how did…" She sobbed. Her words were choppy and full of shrill tears.

Howl pounded his hand into the bed. So this was Alashorn's end game? Making him suffer until he handed over the key to destroying the world. His ultimatum would be Sophie or the lives of the innocent wouldn't it? Now Sophie saw him as a monster…

"Sophie, what can I tell you to make you believe it's me?" Howl pleaded.

"What side pocket did you say I had the Witch of the Waste's curse in?" She took a second to muster the request. Only Howl would know, because it was Howl that first recognized it was there.

"The pocket of your dress would have been on your left side, my right. Also we made eight eggs all together with the two you already made, you nearly let Calcifer go out the next day, and I resorted to calling on dark spirits and magic when you took me to a rude awakening when I had my bathroom cleaned, and you carried me up to a bath. I can go on Sophie. I would do anything you wanted to make you see it is I, and only I. Sophie what did he do to you?"

"I don't…I don't know… I can't remember. I saw darkness…he muted me…he wanted to know how to open the box…then he said-he-said-he-"

"Well you don't know about the box. He played an unfair hand."

"If I do know… I wouldn't say anyway…I don't know…"

"Sophie I-" Howl put his hand on her arm. She flinched away.

"He said I would be his… amusement…" Her eyes shot up to his, catching them in a frightened, large and desperate stare

"Sophie your arm is bleeding. It looks as if that rip was purposeful…" He ripped the bedding to make a bandage for her.

"Who knows what else he did…" She looked up as her consciousness registered the pain in her arm. She saw his blue eyes. Howls. She could see the difference. How did she not catch it before? It disgusted her to think she couldn't tell then.

"If he did any more I will make sure he pays for it dearly."

"Howl…it is you… I just…his eyes changed to his, but he stayed looking like you…until…"

"It's okay Sophie. I want to console you right now…but if it's too soon. I'll wait."

"Just don't leave right away…"

"I won't. Let me get you something to wear."

"Howl…" She breathed in. "I do think I know how to open that box."

She let it resonate. It was a test. If this was the real Howl he wouldn't demand the answer. She shouldn't need to test him this much, but her fears wouldn't let her guard down.

"Even if you do Sophie, it doesn't matter to me. In fact it makes what you did that much more brave, and what you just said that much more incredible. I understand if you need a while, but I'm afraid if Alashorn has already come into our home, it won't be long before this escalates. Please rest."

Sophie looked to him. He was troubled. She realized Alashorn had hurt them both. It pained Howl to distance himself almost as much as it hurt that she couldn't look in his eyes for too long, as her mind wandered to dark corners.

He returned with her old blue dress on. It was her most worn dress, but the most soft one. She nodded and he left again. She got dressed carefully. She pushed herself to the edge of his bed and felt a weight on her. She could not cry again. She could not assume the worst. Not yet.

Howl was by the stairs.

She looked into his eyes. No, these _were_ Howl's eyes. Kind. Not vicious. How could she have not seen that before? She suddenly felt like she wanted to shrink into disappearance. As if her mind was torn and her body was invaded. She didn't know what happened and she questioned reality. Alashorn was pure evil.

She ran down and nearly knocked him over in an embrace.

And she cried in his chest for a good long while.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Bitter Sweet Goodbye**

"Sophie I'm so sorry." He took her shoulders to divide her from him, so he could look see her straight on.

"It's not your fault Howl." She wiped her tears on her sleeve.

"It is mine. I should have scolded you for letting fake a Howl in and I should have said more to you. I sensed that darkness and I was dumb enough to ignore it on some off chance Howl had dabbled in the dark again." Calcifer rambled out looking guilty. "And Sophie…"

"Yes?"

"You…uhm…nothing has changed. He didn't do anything…to you while you were out cold. I can tell, you still have an innocent soul…and heart…" Califer coughed.

"Thank you Calcifer." She nodded, her hands had found there way back to the chest of Howls shirt.

"Times like this I regret ever finding you that day, even if it was to save me." Howl said. "I don't know if I can forgive myself. It is my fault more than anyone's. Alashorn will do whatever he can to bring you into this. I'm afraid he will not stop here. I will not put you through worse Sophie."

"There's nothing for you to forgive. I am already involved, that can't be avoided, and I chose this. " She mumbled out.

"Well I'm going to do something now. Calcifer your going to use whatever you can get from what Markl brings back to seal this place shut and all of you are heading as far away from these mountains as possible. I will face him now. I will also have to find a way to destroy that amulet."

"Couldn't you just destroy the gem to open the box?" Calcifer stated as if it was the obvious thing to do.

"I could start with that. But to keep it locked up only adds to its need to be stolen and coveted by another darkened soul." Howl brought his hand to his chin, thinking to himself. "I might have to depart for a while to find information on it. As a matter of fact I might have to see what I can find out about it from the source. In that case, I need to make sure everyone here is safe. I don't think any of us would be able to handle another scare such as one today."

Sophie had never seen his eyes look so clear, and blue. Howl was unchanging about his decision, and that he would make sure to prevent Alashorn from returning. But not knowing whether or not Howl would return or find a way to destroy that Amulet was something she did not want to be distanced from. Even if it was for safety.

She nodded. She wasn't sure why but she did.

"Soph, why don't you clean up for a while. Calcifer can you heat up the water for Sophie?"

"Of course."

"Hey! Howl your back!"

Suddenly Markl came through the door. Howl flicked his finger his way, and a small spark hissed over Markl's head and faded.

"One hundred percent Markl. That's refreshing. Now, did you find something to use for Calcifer?"

"A whole bunch! There was this old butcher who lived in the corner of town. Had some rare stuff from the war and-" Markl looked to Sophie who saw the redness of her eyes. "Sophie are you okay?"

Sophie's eyes widened for a moment and she swallowed. "Yes." It Was all she could muster.

"Don't worry about Sophie for now." Howl seemed to nod slightly to Sophie. "Help me get this place sealed." Howl went upstairs for a moment to seal the bathroom's windows first.

Sophie watched for a moment, and saw the first one on the window after Calcifer nearly inhaled some kind of strange body part Markl had returned. She noticed how the seal was red, and it looked similar to the dark summoning spell Alashorn had used to bring her to his place. She realized that a Fire Demon likely used dark magic similar to Alashorn's. The Demon traded energy from another being or thing to create it's own power, Howl had traded his heart, just as Alashorn had traded something for his youth and his own power. She wondered at what price it was. It must be something coveted. She had many questions about magic, and it's origin…but she also couldn't bare to think of it anymore. Alashorn's face in her mind was causing her to have a nervous twitch in her hand.

"Why don't you go relax Sophie? I'm sure the water is heated now." Howl looked to her after finishing another on the window. His eyes looked clear but behind them were concern. Calcifer looked positively illuminative and glowing in power at this point, so she at least knew she didn't have to worry about the seals breaking .

"I will Howl. Thank you."

She nodded and made her way up the stairs.

She heard Markl whisper to ask Calcifer what happened. Howl shushed the inquiry in a kind voice.

Maybe her parent-like tendencies to Markl were rubbing off on Howl. She doubted he would have been so delicate about these things back a year ago.

She put herself in the tub, the water steaming to the brim, her silver hair skimming the top of the water.

Maybe Howl was right. Maybe after this she'd be able to clean off the feeling of Alashorn's grey eyes from her soul.

She saw a bit of her own reflection in the water as it rippled.

Maybe she was only thinking about her own feelings, but how could Howl expect her to stay here sealed up while he left to confront Alashorn? Howl didn't want her in danger and either did she to him. Love is a selfish emotion. Selfish for the weight in your chest so it doesn't hurt, and selfish for wanted what is best for the person you love. You are both selfish for your own feelings and selfish for wanting what's best for them over yourself. You'd rather see yourself hurt then them hurt. It is a terrible paradox of emotions, and she couldn't stand to stew in them while he leaves.

Alashorn was evil. Pure evil. She felt a mixture of rage and angst for that man. Everything about their situation was stale, and off-putting.

It was not like she questioned Howl. Or his power. But Alashorn was not a fair player. She doubted that any Witch or Sorcerer was, but he was far worse.

He was willing to make her believe she'd been corrupted just to scare her or Howl into telling him how to open the box to his precious Amulet, all to become all-powerful! There was too much darkness in that; too much uneven ground.

But what could she do?

She couldn't help Howl. This time it was out of her hands. It wasn't a matter of saving Howl from himself, or undoing a curse. Instead it was a matter of keeping people safe, and for a girl like her, she just didn't have the aptness for it.

If they ever got through this Howl would have to teach her something…if she could manage…a spell…whatever it took, so she didn't feel so…

She slumped into the water further. She would have to confront Howl.  
>-<p>

"Now it's just the front door." Howl said after sealing all of the windows, and the fireplace. "Then the whole place once before I leave. Markl get the rest of it ready."

Markl mumbled annoyed that he didn't know what had happened.

"I'm sorry Howl. You know I really never meant for Alas-"

"Calcifer please. His dark magic is something clearly is more dark and disguised then a demon's magic. I don't doubt he sold his soul to a devil or something of the matter, but I cannot blame you for what happened. I placed the candy in front of him, and locked it up, and then took his bait. We all have our own faults in this…I'm afraid we can't do anything else but move forward. Sophie can stay here to heal, and I will return to help her however I can when I finally can."

"If you want to help me don't go."

Howl's back stiffened, and Markl and Califer looked wide eyed to Sophie at the stair case.

Howl didn't turn, and instead his head dropped slightly. "Now Sophie please don't be stubborn. I have to do something. Even if I end up confronting him, he can't kill me because only I know how to open the box. It would take a great deal of effort for him to even summon another demon. I have a window of opportunity now."

"He's right Sophie. Us demons don't come out of hiding, unless we are offered a truly tempting deal." Calcifer said quietly.

"But you-"

"I was a falling demon, without Howl I would have died then. We do not fall near humans civilization very often. He'd have to summon one of us, and even then, I doubt he has much to offer because he's likely used up every bit of himself trying to upkeep his power." He explained.

"Sophie I will come back."

"How can you promise that Howl?"

"Do you doubt me that much?"

"No, of course not Howl, but Alashorn doesn't play fair. How can you ask me to stay safe and have me not ask the same of you? If it's because I do not have the same power, I at least have the same feelings don't I?" Sophie felt herself blurting it out rather soon. She realized as the words drifted into the air she may have said too much. Tears ran down her face, although she couldn't muster a cry.

"Sophie…" Howl turned away. She saw his shoulders collapse from the tension in the room. "Of course you do." He said rather bluntly and then turned to go into his own room walking past her without much of a glance.

She felt him walk past her shoulder, and her eyes widened. Why would she have ever said something? Of course they feel the same way? How oculd she be so vicious with her words?

"Sophie?" Markl said quietly.

At that Sophie ran up the stairs, past Howl's room to her own. She found her bed, and couldn't help but cry. It was a selfish cry, and a cry at that same time wishing she hadn't been so selfish in saying those things.

She held her pillow against her chest. But she couldn't blame Howl. And she wouldn't let Alashorn pit them against eachother. She'd have to apologize to him.

And Sophie meant to. But instead she fell asleep, dreaming of days that had been peaceful, before Alashorn had entered their world.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: A Fire In the Heart Brings Smoke to the Head**

Sophie woke to the sunrise.

Her eyes widened. No, Howl would have already left!

She sat up straight in her bed and then looked to the desk beside her bed where she would work on sewing or her hats.

A note.

_Sophie,  
>I never meant to leave you like this. I had no clue you questioned if we felt the same. If you must know if am safe, for certain, then keep this ring. As before it will glow, as long as I am alive. I have one very similar, and it shall do the same for me. Do not use it to find me.<br>I do not mean to be cruel Sophie, but because I love you, do not follow me. Let me be the selfish one, and I shall repent for those sins later.  
>I will return Sophie. I promise.<em>

_Howl_

She looked at the ring. It looked a lot like the one she'd been given by him to return back after his meeting at the King's Castle.

She put it on. Nothing.

She thought of Howl. She'd made him leave without saying sorry. How could she do that?

She opened her eyes to see the ring pulsating in light.

It was almost like…Howl's heartbeat? It was slow, but consistant. It made her happy to know, but her true worries would not come this soon, but later when he got even more in deep with that old Castle and that evil man.

She got up and went downstairs.

"Morning Sophie." Markl said, eating some bread.

"Morning. Calcifer where are we?"

"Just out on the fields. Frankly I had to keep at it all night to get us out of the Dark Mountains."

"When did Howl leave?"

"You didn't see him before? He left last night about an hour or two after you two disappeared upstairs."

"Oh." She fiddled with the ring on her finger. It pulsed again.

"Howl actually gave you that huh?" Markl said.

"Why wouldn't he? It just pulses whenever I think of him…I guess to let me know he's okay. I wish it was more like the one he gave me before to find you Calcifer."

"It's not as direct but it has its purposes. Frankly I'm surprised he gave it to you. Sometimes I think you two are asking for trouble." Calcified sounded irritated.

"What do you mean? Can it do the same thing?"

"I've said too much again." He simmered down.

"Uh- how about I make breakfast?" Markl said.

"I'm not hungry right now, but thank you Markl." Sophie went back up to her room. Why would Calcifer make it sound like it worked like it did in the past? It didn't make a line towards Howl's whereabouts. No he wouldn't give her something like that would he?

She looked at the note. She appreciated that Howl left without much of a grudge for her harsh words, but she couldn't handle just knowing he was okay. If the light went out? If the pulse stopped? What was she to do?

She read it again. Howl was so kind, trying to understand her. "_because I love you…"_

But she knew she could never go after him…but then, why did he say "_Do not use it to find me."_ Could it be used to find him? She felt it, and saw it. A dull pulse in the light of the red stone. Like his heart. It was slow. Dragged on. But echoed repeatedly.

It was slower. Slower than a heartbeat. Maybe it wasn't? Maybe…maybe instead of a guiding light…

She walked slowly towards the downstairs. Slowly it got faster. She walked towards the door.

The few steps she found it growing faster. As if his heart had begun to flutter. Surely he would realize she would have found out this…but he asked her not to find him. Clearly it was just a coincidence. All the same, she had no way of getting to Alashorn's place without succumbing to another one of his spells along the way. She had no way of protecting herself.

She was sealed in here anyway. Nobody else in here had the power to come to aid her along the way…

Or did they?

"Calcifer!" She ran down the stairs.

"What? What? Did a seal break? Please don't tell me, I've been trying to pace us and keep up with these seals…and then Howl has me sealing a box which is far away and-"

"No, but I know the secret to this ring. It's faint but the closer I get towards Howl the more bright and quicker this ring pulses."

"Why did he give you that…" Calcifer complained.

"Because I am going to help him one way or another. As long as I find Howl with my heart I can find him."

"Only because he enchanted the rings. They're always good for locating unless you don't want to be found. You'll only slow him down Sophie. If you go there you'll be positioning yourself right in Alashorn's grasps."

"Well then I need a way to protect myself."

"That's fine but-"

"And the only way I can protect myself is with magic."

"Yes, but you don't know any magic."

"But there are people in this castle that do."

"But Markl's magic is too primary, and I'm certain you wouldn't bring a young boy with you. And Howl is gone and cannot protect you and I am a demon who-"

"Who can make deals."

Calcifer's mouth gaped open. "No, no, no, no, no, NO! No way am I making another deal! Do you know how many years it took me to get free of that one with Howl? Plus if Howl was abusive, you'd be way more! I can see it already! Plus I can't leave the castle…so really there is no way. Plus Howl would kill me, Literally, I have no ties to him now so he'd just dump the old water bucket on me and that would be it."

"Oh Calcifer is there anyway? I need someone to go with me? If I can find a way to protect myself or to hide myself I can help Howl one way or another! Maybe find a way to kill Alashorn!"

"Kill him? Why Sophie you've never had such malice-" Calcifer looked a bit put off.

"If a man tries to do anything so evil as to kill the world, or wrongfully make a woman join him in bed…no matter what the circumstances ended up as… he deserves to be ..at least...punished. Plus Howl will never defeat him if he gets to that Amulet. Maybe I can spy on him from the inside…"

"You'd need to be covered in darknes…it's not a hard spell, but it would take some concentration." He explained.

"Could I do it?"

"No. One, you'd barely be able to keep it up. Even Howl can't do it for very long, you'd need an incoming source of energy. Plus you'd need a way to protect yourself."

"Calcifer then make me a deal?"

"No, I won't."

"Well, can you put a seal on me so that nobody can touch me?"

"What? No, not without Howl…plus I could only do it on objects, I don't know how long it would last either…"

"Wait, what if you tried to help her from here?" Markl interviewed.

"What do you mean Markl?"

"Well..It's just a thought but, amulets and enchanted jewels often dirive their power from another source….what if Calcifer was your source? I could feed him more stuff from the market to keep it up…"

"Do you have an Amulet or Jewel like that?"

"Not particularly, no…" Markl gave a sheepish grin.

"Well that's disappointing. But thank you for your help Markl." Sophie smiled weakly.

"I just wanted to help you after yesterday. I'm not sure what happened, but you're always happier when your helping people Sophie. Calcifer don't you have anyway that we could get Sophie to help Howl?" Markl said sympathetically.

Calcifer mumbled and grunted.

"Calcifer you do know something don't you?" Sophie turned to him.

"Ah…uhm..grrph…blb…"

"Stop making noises and out with it!"

"Okay, okay. If you were to keep a piece of me….a few sparks or more...a little piece of me…in the right kind of containment…and keep it with you, I'd be able to keep an eye on where you travel and aid you with some minor spells. If you use the sparks up slowly I could last long enough to keep you hidden until you find Howl. If you had to use them all up at once…well you might be able to use a larger spell of mine if you needed to at least get away from you know who…but it's dangerous. And Markl would have to keep feeding me, and possibly go to town again…which is completely breaking all of Howl's rules, and although I am not a part of him, I feel as if me telling you this will later cause me much regret and greif but-"

"Oh thank you Calcifer! If I could hug you I would! You're a wonderful fire demon!"

"Well you know what they say…a fire in the heart will bring smoke to the head…unfortunately you and Howl have your own fire in your hearts which are going to get both of you into deep trouble. You have to know that you going in there is asking for Alashorn to kill you or use you as bait...so don't even come complaining to me later. Make sure you tell Howl that it was _your idea_ not mine. Love is such a dangerous thing…"

"Oh stop your babbling and complaining! What kind of containment do we need? A jewel? And enchanted container? An amulet?"

"I'm going to regret this aren't I?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Good Intentions, Dark Directions**

"Calcifer can you sense Howl anywhere?"

"I don't have that ability anymore Sophie. But stop asking me questions, the more you make me use my magic the less of my sparks there will be left to transport it there. I already used some for that barrier he put up."

Sophie heard his voice like an small echo in the air. She stood outside the temple, hidden under a large tree. The shadows of rain clouds had overcome the area. What did Howl expect to do here? How could he just plan to confront Alashorn? Or …was there a way to destroy the amulet?

She had to go in. She wished she could speak to Calcifer more but it wouldn't be an option. The sparks he gave her would likely need to illuminate the castle when she finally entered it.

She swallowed and found another broken window like the one she'd been captured by. She wondered if Alashorn would be able to tell she was there…

All this magic stuff was terribly confusing when it had no limits as to its ends.

She climbed through and ripped her dress a bit on the shards. She swallowed. No blood. It would be best not to leave a trail.

She found herself surrounded in darkness. Hadn't Howl said that he disguised the place in a maze? Or had that been Alashorn himself…

She shivered. The light of the sparks in the necklace she had gave her just enough light to move forward.

If only she could be sure to find Howl first…she'd have to find him and convince him to leave. Maybe there was something she could do to stop the amulet from working herself? Maybe she could even get Alashorn to tell her… he'd been somewhat keen on her…

Although the thought of getting close to the monstrous man again made her anxious.

But Howl couldn't just leave and pretend to be okay with sacrificing himself. I mean what did he expect? He was powerful but if anything went wrong…dragons? Plus Alashorn was ruthless…maybe she was naive for coming here…if Alashorn got her and could use her for bait…well she'd rather die before making Howl suffer or …or being the reason the world went into another war. She'd have to find a way to outsmart this impending doom.

"Sophie?"

"Calcifer? I thought you said not to talk…" She said whispering.

"Is your heart beating faster? Did something happen? I can sense a stronger pulse…"

She knew the necklace sat over her chest. Maybe her heart had begun to race with her thoughts and the darkness that enclosed her.

"I just need to find him. Soon."

She took another step forward when she felt as if the walls were slinking inwards.

"Calcifer?" She said nervously.

"Shadow Magic. You were never alone in here Sophie. Just start running before they catch up!"

She moved forward as the walls slunk down and around her like sludge. There was no path to take, everything she turned it let her. This was the labyrinth wasn't it? A mess of places to go but to nowhere in particular …one that sank around you hoping to drown you in itself.

"Calcifer… if it gets me…"

"If it tries to I can light up the area so it can ward it off for long enough for you to run away again. I told you this was a bad idea Sophie…maybe Howl will be able to find you first because you'll be damn lucky if you even find him…"

"Thank you for your optimism Calcifeeeerrrrr!" Suddenly the floor slouched under her and she fell, as the sludge, the darkness fell after her ready to smother her.

Calcifer light up the area around her warding it off.

"I won't be able to sense you here much longer…Sophie…forgive me…"

Suddenly there was nothing. Sophie noticed how the walls seemed to become normal again. Calcifer's powers seemed to have work, but a dwindling spark remained only. His voice couldn't even travel.

This was it. She'd done it now. She sighed.

And just as soon as she'd sighed the room became liquid again and she was smothered in the darkness.

She felt it come up in her lungs like black tar, but it tasted like ash.

"Just couldn't stay away…" She heard the voice through her gags and coughs.

She looked up to see Alashorn, facing away from her.

"Don't worry It will go away. Most of it I repelled anyway once I found out it was you. I was hoping for Howl." Alashorn turned to her. Her arms were wrapped in the darkness, like tar, like glue, which kept her open and vulnerable. Her legs felt limp under her. She felt like she was suspended like a toy doll. "And here you are, making it sure clear to me that Howl _is_ in fact somewhere on the premise? You know I figured he'd come back. I mean he knows that the moment I crack this damn box open, will be the moment he'll have to face me. He really would be the only Sorcerer alive at this point worth fighting…the rest will be as easy as taking candy from a baby."

"You won't figure out how to open it."

"Ah, and you say it in a way that makes me think that you do?" Alashorn's large body towered over her. His silver eyes looked snake like, as if he was to strike. He took her chin in his hand. "Look at me Sophie. Would it make it easier if you told it to Howl?"

"Don't you dare do that again! I don't care if you turned up as my mother, I wouldn't tell a soul!"

"You still realize the moment I figure it out you will sooner die than Howl will once the war breaks? Do you not see a point to staying on my good side? Of all women I've met you seem to be the most defiant." He tilted her head to the side a bit. "It's amusing. But that will make things much more painful for you. I like having things my way. Which means I will have to find out how to open it the hard way…"

Alashorn looked to his hand for a minute, and a red mark appeared onto it. She wondered if she saw something in his eyes go blank. "It will burn to have me rip through your memories. On the other hand it will make things much more fun when Howl arrives."

Sophie looked wide eyed. She couldn't do a thing! All because she'd been to0 inquisitive about it! It was all her fault this time. Everything. Coming here. Letting the fake Howl in. Being so weak… it was better if she just left. Had disappeared or died somewhere where she couldn't do Howl or anyone any harm in this. She'd been so happy with Howl, but here she found that again, she became nothing but a loose end. She cringed waiting for the pain. She wondered if it would be more excruciating than the mark he'd put on her before.

"Stop. Alashorn I will tell you."

Sophie's stomach dropped. Howl. She looked up with teary eyes and saw Howl.

"Howl…I don't even have the words to explain how sorry I am…"

"Sophie. Shh. Leave words for later." Howl said calmly.

She couldn't thought. Bottled up she knew it was her fault. She felt like her heart had sunk so far down in her chest she wanted to throw up. The guilt was unbearable.

"Ah, so you'll tell me?"

"Give me Sophie."

"When I have the Amulet in my hands, I will give you Sophie."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: More than A Game**

Alashorn smiled. "Do you think it would be that easy Howl? You know I offered your dear mouse a place beside me when the war comes. You know too well you'd never last against the dragons. Nobody would except the one with the Amulet. You know how well I treat the women I have in my possession. "

"I've heard the rumours, yes, but on the other hand they all disappeared afterd did they? But the Amulet...Tell me how does it work…all these years and I've never quite figured it out…" Howl said calmly trying to egg him on.

"A fool, quick to act back then in your attempt to steal it from me! A man such as yourself never would have thought that I would have made sure to separate it's unlocking system from it! Or did you think it would have been as easy to use it yourself! After seeing you now I doubt you'd ever have the guts to go through with it all…"

"You make it sound like I'd have to murder someone to make it work…"

"Prices. There is always a price for everything. Nothing is free in this world; nothing worth attaining anyway." Alashorn's deep voice and large shoulders turned again to Sophie as he traced his finger down her chin.

"Do you want the secret to get into that box I encased it in or would you rather keep toying with my dear Sophie?" Howl's voice still remained calm.

"Tell me does she shudder when you hold her now? Does she think of the force you brought to her last night?" Alashorn's gaze never left Sophie as she cringed.

"Now, now, lets not play those games." Howl shook his head.

"A but this is much more than a game now isn't it? It's all you've ever done is play games to trick people into believing you are a magnificent and illusive sorcerer Howl. It was the trick of a demon which gave you your real powers? And all the same you have let yourself go. I mean that hair is so natural…so mundane? I thought you'd enjoyed the power and beauty that came with our gifts? Surely women do not hope to have their heart eaten by one such as yourself now."

"You clearly have not changed Alashorn. I am not 'let go', but rather embraced my self. More than my hair has changed, but my face has stayed the same. You would not survive if you changed back to your own self would you? What devil did you contact to look as you do now, for more than your hair would alter itself wouldn't it?"

"Ah, I just retained my youth because I am willing to make sacrifices." Alashorn said darkly. "So, here is the box." He flipped his hand over holding it. "Give me it's key, the demon's bind was enough of an issue."

"Then here." Howl took off his necklace and threw it to Alashorn.

"No Howl! Please don't! Not for my sake!"

"Now Sophie, I wouldn't let you suffer for the world. You have it now let her go." Howl looked kindredly too her

Alashorn flicked his fingers slightly and the black dark glue bounced back to the walls, relieving her of her binds. She felt her knees hit the ground. She scrambled towards Howl.

"Wait." Alashorn said.

Suddenly her arm was pulled down by the sludge again, as if it had seeped through the ground. Was anything of this castle real or was it all dark magic?

"It's not in this box. It's a fake in here. An Illusion."

"Honestly I'd hoped she would have gotten farther than this before you realized." Howl used his own powers to create a bluish spark that hit the ground near Sophie, causing the darkness to seep back into the ground. She tried to scramble closer.

"I wont let you escape this time. Before this was all a game for keeps, but now I am getting impatient." Alashorn shook his head with a calm smile of amusement. That look frightened Sophie. "I'm afraid someone is going to have to pay for this."

"Get behind me Sophie." Howl said. "This is going to get messy."

"Again, to protect the little mouse…how is one girl so much more precious than another? Do you know what you've done Howl? You've made yourself vulnerable!" Alashorn sent black long tentacles there way, with a sharp pointed tip, all escaping his hand.

"Sophie get back…" Howl warned before closing his eyes for a moment and then trying to stop it with his own powers, creating a shield as the black magic tried to hit against it, each small thin pointed arms hitting it like a tattoo's ink needles.

"Oh Howl."Sophie watched in horror, as Howl used his other hand to create swift left right motions with his other hand causing the ends of the black needles to break, as if something was slashing them from it's sides.

Suddenly she caught a glance. In Howl's pocket of his jacket was the amulet. If she could find a way to destroy the god forsaken thing…

"I know you have the Amulet with you. And I plan to take it from you." Alashorn called out. Sophie wondered if he had just assumed this or she was naive to think Howl wouldn't have brought it.

"All talk Alashorn." Howl grunted out still going after the never ending black mass. His voice seemed calm and amused again under a bit of force. "You'd have to take it over my dead body, and I don't plan to make that an easy feat."

"All the same, I disagree."

Sophie swallowed as Alashorn gave a dark smirk. She seemed to be the only one who saw it, as Howl was too busy keeping his attention on the darkness that jabbed at them.

"Howl, just give me the amulet and if you can find somewhere to hide again, maybe after he kills me and has it you can find a way to destroy it…"

"What now you're explecting to let me sacrifice you and this land for my own sake?" Howl shook his head. She noticed his forehead had sweat on it. "I won't run away Sophie."

Sophie knew they were in a large conundrum. Stuck here, as Howl used all of his energy up on this. She inched over to see that Alashorn was not as focused as before on Howl. Something was distracting him.

Sophie was also the only one to realize that Alashorn was now using his other hand, but in a different motion. Howl was too focused to notice.

His hand rose, his finger curled as if it was summoning something closer. His face looked concentrated, dark, focused past them at something.

She turned around and saw it. Suddenly Alashorn pulled his hand in closer to his chest, in a quick motion, summoning something forward fast.

"Howl! Move!"

Sophie suddenly pushed Howl over, as another thin black needle emerged from the darkness behind them clearly having been aimed for Howl's back where his heart would have been.

"Sophie!" Howl noticed the one's Alashorn had been sending straight on had now ceased. He felt his stomach curdle, and instinctually threw the Amulet towards Alashorn in some weak attempt to stop his attack last minute.

In a flash of a moment, Howl watched as Sophie took the hit for him, straight through her upper shoulder.

He watched in horror as she suffered protecting his heart once again.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: Dragons of Blood**

Sophie felt her gut wrench first.

Then it was blackness.

Nothing about this place seemed real. It seemed all too dark.

Like a fun house, it seemed, everything changed from reality to illusion as her eyes faded in and out…

She'd hoped for her own sake it had all been an illusion. That maybe she would have survived that. Maybe Howl would still have the amulet. Maybe she could find another, a better way to aid without ending up as such a loose end.

But it wasn't.

She felt the wrenching pain of her shoulder. Any lower she would have died. Maybe she was dead. Now…now she either waited for death or a miracle. She felt her eyes grow heavy looking for anything to make out for certain.

Instead she lost herself again to another fading darkness, with the dull sound of a bird crowing closer and closer.

* * *

><p>"Thank you Howl. I truly couldn't have done it without you." Alashorn smiled deviously as he retracted into the darkness himself. "But I expect this is not where this ends. It would be too simple to end it now. I'll be waiting."<p>

Howl was ready to project himself forward at Alashorn. But if he went now he would be fighting on instinct alone for revenge. Only now he knew, seeing Alashorn again, that revenge and rage produced the darkest of results. Tragic results. He knew he had the power to go after him.

That is what Alashorn wanted.

Standing in solitude, the image of Sophie played through his mind. He knew all too well she wouldn't have resisted the temptation to come along, but he'd hoped she'd never have made it so far as to enter this place so willingly and would have turned back. Or waited for him. He'd never really expected Calcifer to have provided her with such a clever method either. He hadn't believed she would have made it as far alone either. Sophie was strong. And he underestimated her again; for how far she'd go for him. On the other hand, it seemed Alashorn was keen on letting her in.

He closed his eyes for a moment and tried to wipe the image from replaying in his mind. His heart felt heavy, and so did his eyes. If Sophie hadn't come would it have been that easy to have killed him? …Surely none of this was her fault. He had to find her again…he had to know if she …if she was still alive.

Alashorn was much too clever then to let her go so quietly, for their war was far from over.

He needed to find a way to win now. All magic had a price. For one thing, his own magic had only provided him with a long life of loneliness and running up until Sophie had collided into his life. Now it seemed his magic…the price of his life as a careless Sorcerer had come to bite him now where it would hurt the most…the price was Sophie. Sophie and soon the world might end if he didn't do something.

Prices. Alashorn had said it himself.

That was the answer. Prices. His dark magic…it had to be…

Sophie had suffered the Price of being deceived by two silver eyes… And it was surely enough to get him to think:

The largest Price one can pay for the kind of power Alashorn had… was one he'd once paid himself.

* * *

><p>Her eyes burned as they separated, opening her eyes to darkness.<p>

She heard the crowing present. The chime of that raven-crow creature. Maybe it was all a dream? She looked and instead saw Alashorn sitting in what appeared to be a chair not far from her. It was a blur. There wasn't much more she could make out.

"Just to think, that Howl would let you come so close…it was perfect. I barely lifted a finger this time, my dear Mouse."

"How am-where is-" She stumbled for words, finding consciousness.

"You're only alive by the graces of the good gods, luckily it hit your shoulder instead of your heart. Really, I was surprised you did such a thing…or more how willingly Howl was willing to give me the key to this confound box." He stood as the box fell off his lap onto the ground with a clank, Howl's necklace falling out of the lock. "And your dear Howl is once again, somewhere else in this maze of a place likely…but I really think I can use what's left of your life to my advantage."

"How…just leave us be…you have the amulet…"

"But it's better to have you here…what is suffering without extending through time…the bandage can either be taken off quick or slow…I prefer slow, let the would slowly become exposed." His voice was stale and cold again.

"You wont use me as a bargaining chip! He wont do it. He'll fight back."

"He gets too easily distracted with you present. You'd ought to realize you've done nothing but hinder him this whole time… you'd be better off beside a someone who can actually manage to keep you safe and caged up like you should be you, mouse."

"Don't think I would give in to remaining here with you. You have the amulet, let us be."

"Oh dear, you have no clue of its origin do you? Few rare bloodstones are akin to this world, but this one is of an oath made legendarily once before between a dragon and a sorcerer…or maybe a witch...but it was an old world strange blood bond magic. And what it requires to work is in fact the origin of its source…"

"What?" Sophie asked as she propped herself up in an attempt to find feeling in her legs again.

"Blood." He said. She managed to see the amulet in its unlocked form. She noticed how the rings on his fingers matched the indentations that Howl had told them sealed the actual stone. Now that it was opened she saw the Bloodstone, centred in a rim of an odd metal, somewhere between bronze and silver. The strange green glowing gem had spots of red like blood sat in the centre of it all. The way it had suddenly illuminated the room revealed the bones of what appeared to be some large creatures emerged and submerged into the ground. Dragon bones?

Suddenly Alashorn guided Sophie as if she was as light as a feather into the air, and latched onto her shoulder causing it to bleed again.

"Aghhh!" She yelled squinting.

"It's this blood, the blood of the suffering, except I don't plan to use yours. It's a waiting game now, but I decided to give him some time. Let him wonder if you actually survived the blow. To think your own heart was almost destroyed because of Howl…how ironic would that have been?" Alashorn seemed all too amused, his large stature, and hard square chin moved as smirk overcame his rather bitter face. "But of course, as it goes, one must _Use the blood of your enemy_ _to awaken the dragons, an oath of the pagan…and its shall consume them and all alike, it's spirit conferred."_ Alashorn grasped the amulet hard in his fist. "Basically when Howl comes for you, I'll spill his blood. Then the dragons spirits will awaken and feed off of his soul until it is consumed. They'll do this until they are whole again and then they will continue to destroy all sorcerers like Howl, until I spill the blood of another."

"But why Howl?" She asked wide eyed as he let her down, quickly putting her hand over her wound.

"Because, who better to set out the road for blood thirsty souls of dragons? I've recovered many bones just so I could attain the same wealth in them I once had…dragons have long gone from this world. Some remain as elemental spirits remaining as myth, but others remained, between both worlds, demonic and blood thirsty; the perfect medium for war. I want to erase this world of the sorcerers who have succumbed to the life living amongst humans as if we aren't more than that. Those who don't join me, will perish, and become the same dragons I use to recreate a new world."

"Don't kill him. I'm the one who caused this…" Sophie pleaded.

"You? Hah, after he steals this from me you blame yourself that _he_ got you involved? Wasn't it you that suffered this whole time…"

"No, if I hadn't have interviened Howl likely would have gotten much farther. I thought I could help this time…I wanted to save Howl and the world from another war, but maybe this time… I didn't have the-" She felt the blood on her hand. "…power to." She gripped her fist into a ball.

"You make better bait. That's all there is too it." Alashorn turned around.

"Just let Howl go and take my blood in his place. If what you say is true, than you could kill another sorcerer like him and eventually they would lust for Howl…just take me instead. Let him free…he gave you the amulet. There's an even score."

Alashorn took his hand to his chin and then thought a moment.

"Alright." He turned around. "You can take his place, your life for his. But when the time comes Howl too…""

"Howl will get out of it. I don't care what happens to me. He has more of a chance to change this world than I do."

"You know I thought it would be enough for me to create the illusion that I ravaged Howl's woman, but now, to actually destroy what he loves more…" He took her chin in his hand and pulled her up again. "But that's what you decided so I guess that's where we'll leave it."

Suddenly Howl appeared out of a shadow. "Sophie!"

Sophie spotted him. How long had he been gone? Why hadn't he come sooner? How did he escape Alashorn the first time? Questions ran through her mind…

And just as she saw Howl raise his hand in an expected attempt to divide her from Alashorn, Alashorn jabbed her wound again.

And this time her blood fell onto the Amulet.

Suddenly Howl divided the two apart with a blast of what just seemed as simple as air.

However the room suddenly awakened. The walls became fluid, and for every oversized skull there was a set of eyes floating aloof overtop of them. They were red eyes, red glowing holes, and the shape of lizard's eyes, large in size; In particular about three large ones, and four slightly smaller ones.

"Ah, it's too late Howl." Alashorn chimed, turning around, as the eyes seemed to hover around her, like snakes ready to strike. His mirrored their evil and demonic stare.  
>"Soon Sophie's soul will be consumed as the fuel for the dragons souls to materialize again, and then, I will have my fun as I once did; collecting young maidens as she, stealing half their souls and having my good fun... until all the sorcerers come to battle me, so likely summoned by the wretched human kings. Frankly I think this plan was better than the first! Then your blood will fill my amulet's veins, and a new blood-thirst will awaken! Long reign the Draconialis Amulet now in it's rightful hands!"<p> 


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: A Leap of Faith To Dance with Death**

"Sophie!" Howl said.

Sophie quickly turned to Howl, and watched in astonishment as Howl loomed towards her changing into the beast he once became during the war.

"Howl, please don't-" She pleaded, when suddenly she felt a strange rush, a otherworldly wind move through her that caught her breath in a wide eyed gasp. She saw the red eyes move ahead past her now. It had passed through her, and with it it became all the more tangible…all the more real…still a spirit, but now it's body was coming into view.

"It doesn't matter now; Sophie your mousy little wish will come true. Howl will survive this round, but it won't belong until they've consumed all of your soul. Then they will be full fledged spirits of this world, and then I will have my fun, in all its dark looming war and lustful chaos. Good luck Howl, can you really fight something that isn't there?" Alashorn's dark potent, mellow voice rumbled in the air, as he held the amulet in his palm. He lifted three more fingers pressing them onto the amulet in grip and seemingly three of the dragon spirits headed towards the pair.

"Sophie, I can't save you like this. Even in this form, all I can do is evade them. I might only get one chance to undo this."

"I did this for you Howl. Even if I don't make it, you'll have a chance now to stop him." She felt a strange weakness in her chest. Was this how it felt to have your life taken from you? Could she ever get back that part of her soul? Did it take hours from her? Days? How did it work?

"Do you really think I'll be able to think about stopping him after you've left me? Are you that selfish to think your death will leave me free of any burden? You gave me back my heart Sophie, you can't rip it out now." He held her close to his chest as they danced in the air attempting to evade the Dragon spirits so they could not pass through Sophie.

"But you gave him the amulet…"

"Only to save you. I can't think straight like I should. Clearly it was a bad idea but I just needed you back. Now hold on, I think we're cornered."

"There's no exit anymore. It's all darkness here; you're just a bird in a cage playing cat and mouse." Alashorn chimed from below.

Suddenly the pair spiraled downwards, evading the surrounding dragons. Upon the dragon's collision with each other the smaller dragons became two larger ones. Now there were five.

"If he gets a little more bold, I can hope my hunch is right...it's just going to be hard with all these spirits..." Howl muttered to himself, his eyes to the side staring at Alashorn.

"If you think you can get the amulet back just let me down."

"But that might kill you Sophie." Howl looked stunned. "I couldn't let myself live with that."

"Well you can fix that later. You shouldn't value my life over the hundreds of others that would die."

"Are you that noble that you'd wish death upon yourself? Are you going to do this to me again?" Howl looked tormented.

"I am afraid of it Howl…I'm afraid of death, but I am more afraid of knowing the world's demise came from my own selfish actions…"

"It might give me the chance…" Howl looked conflicted. He swallowed hard. "…but if I can't get you back Sophie, I don't care where the world ends up. I will follow you soon after, I don't care how selfish I'm being...it's unselfish of me enough just considering leaving you in the open..."

"Well then just get me back into once piece after you get the amulet. And don't you dare even think of dying, you are the great Sorcerer Howl and you are the last thing the world has against this monster. You're best friends with a fire demon Howl, I'm sure you could come up with something, to save me and to save the world. I'll have to depend on you for that…" She knew her words were obscured in optimism for herself she didn't have, but she had to say anything to convince Howl of his own need to stay in this world to fight. Suddenly she pushed against his chest, just as another Dragon came looming towards them, and before Howl could move to evade, she'd already departed from him hitting the floor.

Sophie groaned. Her dress felt crusted in blood. Even if her wound was healing, she knew her chances for redemption were dependent on what Howl could manage with Alashorn and that amulet. She knew he'd do anything to save her. But she'd made her decision now. She waited for the next blow, as her stomach pitted itself like a rock. The dragon came. The feeling… an itch she couldn't scratch and a breath she'd never breathe in again.

It was gone so quick; her eyes could not even blink as quick anymore as fast as it left her.

Suddenly Howl felt a blast of dark magic nearly hit him. Alashorn was trying to get his attention. Sophie had given him a chance ...now taking the amulet was all he had to undo whatever damage would be done. Thinking logically was going to be hard with Sophie on the line.

"Ah? What is this? Tell me Howl; if am I the cat and she is the mouse…. Then you must be the poor crow unfit to protect her! She's wise enough to know you are both prey to the cat, and even a crow could not evade my attacks!" Alashorn's fingers released their grip from the amulet ever so slightly, remaining tight in his palm. Suddenly the Dragon's seemed just to circle Sophie, Howl just outside the swarm. "Out of all things to become with Dark magic, you picked that Howl?"

"Were you always so eloquent with words Alashorn?" Howl hid his own tormented feelings behind a guise of confidence he needed to give Sophie a chance. "It wasn't my choice. It was a side effect of the demon's power, and now I'm using it out of familiarity."

"Well then soon you should know the familiar feeling of loss… the feeling when something you covet, something you have is taken from you…" Alashorn stared darkly at the Amulet before raising it over his head, it sitting delicately in his palm. "Because the odds of either one of you leaving here are quite slim."

"Leave her be."

Suddenly Alashorn defiantly grasped Draconialis hard with all five digits, as Howl suddenly moved forward, a black flash of feather in the air.

Alashorn and Howl had heard Sophie's screaming gasp, like a branch breaking off a tree, echoing through the air. Five dragons at once, Alashorn felt the blood rush of his revenge.

But when he looked to his hand, he realized he was no longer in possession of the Amulet.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: Deals with Demons and Dragons of Death**

"If you think you're going to somehow win now that you took the amulet you are beyond disillusioned Howl. Just as your boy self had been."

Howl landed in front of Sophie, who was unconscious on the ground. The dragons seemed to be still – as if the possession of Draconialis in Howl's hand now subdued them, unable to quench their thirst for Sophie's soul. He gave himself a moment. It was much harder now to turn back to a human without Calcifer's powers aiding him. But it worked. It took power but it worked.

"No. I know Sophie may have leapt to her own suicide there…but I will get her back no matter what it takes. However…I plan to erase her blood from this demon's stone."

"A dragon demon actually Howl. And whose blood? Mine? I'd hate to say it but it won't-"

"It won't work. Or at least you believe it won't." Howl's confident air suddenly arose out of his rather depressed manner for Sophie. "I'm well aware that these Dragon's only go for a certain kind of person after they've consumed all of their first victim; People as close to that initial victim. I have read up on Dragons, Alashorn, upon my lovely possession of this amulet."

"Even if you have, there is nothing more you know about it than I do. Any blood you try to replace with it will cause more death – that's why it is only dormant when it is done its bloodshed – when every last person who is remotely like the initial has been consumed. They are bloodthirsty creatures, the demons of dragons. The Spirit type, even as gods, bah, they are nothing but passive rulers of temples and hoo ha. It's the demon dragons, that when awoken, match my vengeful power and adoration of war."

" I'm aware. Frankly I also know that Calcifer would be quite useless against these things. Even my own cursed demon of heartlessness couldn't aid me against them as that "crow" as you call it. Frankly the only reason I return to that is because I know now, with my heart I can control it. But, my powers alone couldn't do a dent in them…but then…"

"There are few, if not rare known vices for this amulet and it's blood stone. It is nothing but a thing of legend. You're games won't work here Howl."

"But that's exactly it; the demons of dragons are even stronger than most regular demons. According to sorcery lore, they say they are a step beneath the Devil himself. Dark magic is nothing compared to demon's powers, and demons are nothing compared to dragons…am I not right?" Howl's face looked smug, and challenging.

Alashorn looked down on him, becoming more and more unimpressed, and more and more convinced he was just wasting time. "Your musings are getting a bit redundant."

"No, rather I'd like to make sure you and I stay on the same page here, Alashorn. I know your mind is much older than mine, I'd rather not leave you lost in the dust."

"I'd have you know my youth-"

"Is an anomaly. How could a man, or a Sorcerer attain such physical prowess and magical strength when you should be long in the ground? The old Witch of the Waste lost all of hers the moment her strength was exhausted and you are much older and clearly much more abused than she ever was. I'm sure Sullivan's magic wouldn't even douse that glow of yours… " His words bordered on flattery and pure insult.

"Does it matter? I could outdo your magic in a second; give me a good reason to not outdo you at this very moment? Or do you not care about the mouse that is dying behind you on the ground? Her soul is probably nearly gone…how long do you think she can hold on to what is left?" Alashorn's impatience was beginning to grow.

Howl swallowed hard, his mind had to remain composed. He swore he heard her groan a bit behind him. "I knew it had to have been a deal of sorts. A trade as all dark magic is – the reason why it's dark is because it always asks for a price to pay. The longer I am that creature, the less I come to know my humanity. The longer I was in a deal with the fire demon, the less I came to know human emotion – my heart would have eventually become consumed, just as all demon's consume what they trade for. The biggest sin is gluttony – to want-"

"I won't stand for this. It is time I don't care to waste, and time frankly you're mouse does not have…nor do you." Alashorn tilted his staff right for Howl.

Howl raised his hand either as a sign of his continuing or a sign that he too would strike if Alashorn decided to.

"The point being dear Alashon, was that you gave almost all your soul, or your entirety to a powerful demon you summoned for that everlasting youth and that strength you wear. And I dare say what would happen when your blood is spilt…especially when we both know too well you are not as well kept as you think you are. You may not have a whole soul for them to take right now…but when they hunt for yours…" Howl held the necklace Sophie had had with Calcifer's spark. It still held an almost non-existant glow. "I summoned what I could of the fire demon I know, and he seemed to sense the presence of another demon with a little help from my own magic. Good Luck Alashorn." Howl bowed, creeping a slight glance behind him to Sophie. She was breathing. He couldn't divert attention to her or she'd surely be the target and not him. He began to morph back into the crow like creature he'd been a moment ago in preparation to finish it all.

Alashorn had a flash of fear in his eyes, that made him stand still for the moment. He just watched Howl transform. How could the petty and naive, the quick acting, young, pompous sorcerer Howl, have figured it all out so easily? The socerer he was to fight now, was even using dark magic, and yet he could read his secret as if it hadn't been hidden from the world for a good hundred years or so.

Even so, the Dragons couldn't find his Demon aid so easily…the powerful demon was a thousand feet below, fueling this place in it's black demonic power. It took him years to research and find a demon that was on its way out, with enough strength to fuel his needs and enough of a craving for a new way into power. His soul would fuel the demon's ability to survive, and so their trade was far more pertinent than Howl and that small star of a fire demon. What was more his own demon would inadvertently possess the dragon's just as much as he did. The dragons would not…or rather could not attain his blood. Not after all he worked for. His armor was thick, and his 'youth' was enough to keep him ready.

The dragons would not take him or the demon down so easily.  
>And what was more is Howl would not attain his blood or keep the Amulet in his possession for long.<p>

The stupid mouse had diverted him from his original plan and, although he'd not planned on any regret, now he had to make sure Howl's blood was the next to seep into the crevices of that Amulet, and cause the green stone color to blot red.

"You should expect blood then Howl, for you will see it." Alashorn used his staff to send dark powers hurdling at him just as Howl flew to the sky to divert them away from Sophie.

..

Sophie breathed a deeper breath then she'd meant to somehow, laying on the ground, which pushed her to slight consciousness.

They seemed to return to a faint breathing soon after.

Her eyesight was going. Not even once as an old lady once did she feel this poorly. She wondered if when the Dragons took her soul if she became old again, like she'd aged as she died. She looked to her hand.

It was blurry in her vision, but no, it was normal.

She felt both heavy and light. Somehow she wasn't dead again. It seemed that every time she awoke in this place she was closer and closer to the brink of it all though.

She felt like air, and she felt heavy. She couldn't move. She saw something black flying in the darkness…green blasts of power or something…and the glint of a something reflective that moved along with the black flying object. Did Howl have the amulet? Was there even a chance now that things could be undone? Maybe her death would not be in vane after all…

She knew she shouldn't think like that, but she felt her eyes get heavier and she, quite frankly didn't have the strength to think about much else…


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: The Crescendo**

"You won't even get close to me, not before your pathetic devotee dies from exhaustion. Dragons or not, she's clinging onto the last bit of life she has!"

"I can't say you have a remedy for that do you? You should tell me now before it's you running from those things?" Howl seemed nearly unfazed by Alashorn's continuous taunting.

"Hah!? Me ? And nothing can destroy a Bloodstone of something as powerful as a demon dragon! Its an everlasting oath of combined powers – of submission, of trade! It's long past the time for miracles Howl!" Alashorn threw dark shades of magic at him, while the room seemed to want to attack, liquid, moving like an obstacle course for Howl's flight. "How about two birds in the air? I think there is a pecking order here that must be maintained!"

"I don't think its fair Alashorn, I mean you already have such an advantage here, it wouldn't be good form…two against one..." Howl said, as the familiar Raven bouted him before moving past him in an attempt to nip at Sophie. Howl used his focus to separate his hands from the feathered wings they'd become. He couldn't let it take over completely. It had been a risk to reawaken those demons. He had to…for now he'd tried to convince his heart that for selfish reasons he wanted to live, but it wouldn't keep up for long. The reasons he wanted to live were not selfish. No it was to give Sophie a chance to live somehow after it ended. No… he'd have to keep it mediated, even in if took all the energy he had to upkeep it, he needed his own hands for purpose of magic – he was no good running away unless he could strike. But keeping himself in a medial space demon bird and human was going to take a toll on him.

He waved his hand as if he had scooped up air and then bouted the energy at the creature, causing it to loose its back tail by means of a nearly missed evade.

"I don't prefer fair fights to begin with!" Alashorn looked peeved, attacking more rapidly. Howl was strangely impressive in this desperate attempt to undo his doings. The man was, however, still the boy who'd naively took his crystal, the man whose pride was worth more than his brains, but his ability to weave from the attacks as a he embraced his demons as a bird creature was really getting quite irate.

"Well I do prefer them unfortunately. So I suppose…" Howl then barely dodged the attack himself this time, cringing as the sparks flew by the nape of his neck. He took his chance, as the bird attempted to move a bit closer to Sophie, to fly close himself and take the thing out once and for all.

"Familiar or not, I will still succeed in getting that Amulet out of your grasp Howl!"

"I thought you'd be a little more shaken up about loosing your pet…although I just couldn't have it going at Sophie could I? You know, they say Birds are long lost cousins of Dragons…is that why it worked so well with him?"

"Dare say if I care." Alashorn shot at him again.

Howl could tell he was loosing it. His feathers were leaving him, and slowly reverting to skin. Once the form he ran from, now the form he couldn't maintain – he'd lost his curse and his own demon of selfish behaviour long to the attainment of his heart. He had only a few moments now, but – he felt the sting of a hit, his wing – he needed a better way to strike Alashorn than to just hit him with magic – he needed …

Alashorn watched as he happily struck the wing of Howl's creatured form. He watched him fall behind the large skull of a dragon. As amazing as they were as allies, they were equally pathetic as dragons under the magic of the binding of the Amulet. They floated aimlessly above Sophie, not two feet from their pray. All it took was the Amulet to be closed again, and the power was nullified until it was reopened. Then the hunt would ensue again. And so would he hunt Howl, as soon as the decrepit young man rose again. His magic was fading and now injured it would not take long.

"Howl - get …get up!"

Alashorn quickly moved his head to see the young and feeble grey-mousy haired woman rise her head for a moment. Even in her last moments, however long they would last, she still cared more for the man who doomed her to death than preserving what little energy she had left. Yelling in such a horse and pathetic manner as to-

"Don't Sophie! It will be over soon!" Howl flew low again, emerging from the hidden view of the skull, just above Alashorn, he too seemingly distracted by her cry.

Alashorn spotted the necklace chain of the amulet in Howl's winged hand.

He took his moment to steal it in the second to which Howl seemed both injured and at unease by Sophie's movements.

"HAH you pathetic foolish man!" Alashorn lifted it in the air, this time, secured in a tight grasp.

Instead of landing, Howl continued to glide above and swiftly struck his same arm with a sharp object, before landing to the ground, twisting a bit as he turned human once more.

"What does that matter? My blood! You wont use it before it hardens with such a scratch as that?! I have the Amulet again ! It's over-"

Alashorn was taken back by the look on Howls face. Much too calm for his liking…not to mention…it was almost dark, in an either genuine or feigning confidence.

"Then tell me Alashorn, then why do the Dragons not strike?" Howl asked simply.

Alashorn noticed in his hand, the Amulet was open again, but no matter which way he wished for it, no matter how many fingers grasped each small side, representing a dragon, no matter how hard he pressed …nothing happened.

"What is this?! Some trick again Howl?" Alashorn's dark, deep bellowing voice caused the walls to start to melt into the same black goo that had consumed the pair before.

Howl gleamed with a smirk. "It just happened Sophie's cry assisted my plan. Now, It seems you have something of mine, and I have something of yours…if one was to look close enough."

Alashorn looked again to his hand, and as if it had changed, he was now holding the necklace with the spark of Howl's demon ally in it, which seemingly at that time just happened to completely go out.

"Where is it?!" He demanded.

Howl looked serious. Much too serious for a man who always had held a clever smile. The blood now seeping through his shirt of his injured arm made him look all the less regal and composed. "It's over now Alashorn, the moment these dragons hunt out whatever oversized demon from the depths of hell you gave your entirety to, in the promise of fueling it's power over dragons, you will witness that promise reversing itself."

Howl then revealed both a dragon's fang dipped in blood and the amulet to which he pressed to it's gemmed surface. Alashorn's face was a wild-eyed scowl.  
>Suddenly the dragons awoke and with a swift movement they took the first piece of Alashorn.<p>

"Hah! I told you! I have little soul left to give! It lives elsewhere with a demon that took it! So, if they should rat it out, then kill me, but just do so knowing that I took whatever you have left of that girl on the way out!" Alashorn looked livid, whether it was in fear of death or in anger itself; he seemed to point his staff at Sophie quite directly, his other hand clutching his chest, showing some form of loss or weakness from the first hit.

Howl whinced now feeling his own injury. He'd lost a chunck of his upper arm, just liked he'd lost a chuck of his wing in that strike. But he'd stand and counter, in front of Sophie from whatever power Alashorn wished to target her with while he was still on two feet.

Suddenly in the same few seconds, all of the now red eyed and blackish-grey ghostly faint apparitions of their more concrete spirits of the dragons encircled Alashorn before plummeting into the ground.

Alashorn laughed. "And I was scared for that! They return to hell and for what? I still have my chance-"

And at that moment the ground shook. Suddenly it separated around Alashorn, encircling him, dividing him from them, as a blazing blue-green fire emerged from the ground.

Sophie opened her eyes, if only for a moment, to see it all.

Like Calcifer, but larger, it was an exhilarating heat, and an immense blue flame – the dying flame of a grand demon that was being driven from the ground. In an immense whirlwind the dragons emerged eating away in gulps itself the demon.

Howl knew as he saw it, the Demon Dragons would not fail to consume the Demon. It was a hierarchy of demons, the clever, and on few accounts tamed creatures, which often were only tame because they were either dying, and required some other kind of energy to maintain, or rejected from whatever realm of the unknown they were driven from. This one came from the myths of hell, but still sat beneath the demons of dragons – the most malicious of creatures should they be born of evil cloth. It would make the Dragons even more concrete and powerful, but it stopped them from consuming Sophie, and when this was all over, they would remain docile again. The covering would not be removed or unlocked again until they had a way to undo the damage to Sophie.

It was just then, interrupting Howl's pensive thoughts, that he saw Alashorn through the flame. As the sound of a bellowing and angry Demon's voice called out his name, it was clear that the Dragons had too consumed parts of Alashorn's soul. As the demon and the soul was consumed, it seemed both the promise of youth and any magic he held were wiped away. The deal was being eaten, and reversed with the demon. The soul was returning and being consumed all the same. Now all that was left was a man, fifty if not one hundred years older than he should have been on his death bed, finding his arms turning to dust, and then to bone, as the rest of him followed.

Howl chose to look away, his black locks, skimming over his eyes at the quick turn of his chin.

The moment that silence echoed the room, Howl closed the amulet shut, and took the rings that were all that was left now of Alashorn from the ground. He'd lock it shut – no man, as like Alashorn as they were, evil or not, should die by the jaws of those dragons' bloodlust for similar blood.

He then turned to Sophie and ran to her.

"Soph?"

Lidded eyes blinked heavily. "Howl…I don't think I'll be here…for…"

"You'll be here for as long as I say. Which is long enough to get you back to our moving castle. This place was all a construction of Alashorn's power, so it will return to shaky and broken remnants of an old Temple castle that will not support us, at this height. And, long enough for me to find a way to destroy the bloodstone, and long enough for the rest of your spirit to find you again."

"Howl…" She looked at him with empathetic eyes, before they lidded again.

He took her close in his arms. His left was injured and took the weight hard. He needed the right stuff for a potion to heal his injury and her shoulder. He'd have to get her back soon.

There was a small breath that skimmed his shoulder, and faintly touched his cheek, but he dare not guess how long it would last.

All he could do was hope.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19: Confrontation**

"Howl!" Markl opened the door to see Howl, looking rather beaten himself, holding Sophie to his chest, the arm supporting her legs was stained red, and slightly limp.

"Wow, did it go okay? It doesn't look like it went okay? Howl … - …. Howl…-….Howl? Can you please say something?!" Calcifer said impatiently watching him as he seemed to just linger for a moment.

"I'll be fine. My concern is Sophie. Calcifer do you know anything about returning a soul to a body… I'm afraid those dragons got the best of us in the process…" Howl said rather calmly putting her down on the table in the middle of the room. He rather quickly went upstairs, and in a matter of a few moments came down with a vial of something.

"I only know how to resurrect the dead…well only half as much…and even that takes a lot of dark magic...more than I'll ever be able to summon…and I don't really-"

"Calcifer?" Howl asked, breaking the fire demon's rambling.

"No…not from one of those Amulet things. Bloodstones are pacts between an evil magical deity and a human, or more concretely a magical human…they're like mythical...completely rare….I don't know if I've ever seen one since, at least over a hundred years or so…"

"Do you know anyone that might?" He asked as he treated Sophie's wound on her shoulder, causing it to heal almost instantly. Hopefully that would help her for the time being.

"Only someone that deals with the opposite kind of magic…and a wide view of studying magical history…more than me at least. Are you sure she's going to be alright Howl?" Calcifer asked, as Markl rocked nervously on his feet.

Howl dumped the rest of the vial on his own arm, wrapping it in gauze. "Well she's still with us so we still have time…there's only one person I know who might know more about pure old magic, the lore of it, and its origins…"

"But Howl did you defeat him?" Markl asked suddenly blurting it out.

"Yes…that part of it isn't even a pressing matter at the moment. I'll tell you what happened, but only once I return from the city."

"Why are you going there? I thought you didn't want to return after the war and what not with Madame Sullivan?" Howl scoffed.

"Well the only person who is more knowledgeable than I I dare say, who has seen and known magic's history, in the purest of sorts, however foul her methods_ is_ Madame Sullivan. My uncle, the rather more ideal option however, is passed…and while he be the preferable to the latter, I will do what I can to revive Sophie while time permits."

"But we've hidden the castle from her again? You said your spells out here were far enough a way that she-"

"It's fine Calcifer, I will go on my own. It seems fair that she help us since we did aid her, inadvertently or not in stopping the war before that wonderful King of ours got out of hand." Howl looked to Sophie, whose eyes however shut, was still breathing. She was holding onto whatever life she had left. He took to the door after putting a new shirt and his cape on covering his wound, and left instantly.

"Will she be okay Calcifer?" Markl asked quietly, holding her hand.

"I truly hope so Markl. I hope so." Markl saw a glimmer of dismay in Howl's eye. A glimmer he rarely saw in his confident eye.

* * *

><p>Howl looked at the castle below. It wasn't a place he'd planned on returning even a year after the incident. However hopefully Sullivan's begrudging ways would pass over him now that he was whole again.<p>

He wasn't running. His intentions were selfless in this matter. He'd sign on for a future war, if that is what it took to get Sophie on her feet again.

* * *

><p>"Ah Howl what exactly is the pleasure that you would come all this way after completely dividing yourself from this old city and it's people?" Sullivan asked, as Howl appeared infront of her, in the same green room he had nearly a year ago.<p>

"A favor actually, Dear Sulliman."

"A favor? Dear Howl where was that favor when we required your assistance in the war?"

"I was fighting in it, but rather preventing the aimless killing than destroying cities over a young prince who happened to be so simply bewitched as to be a scarecrow? Tell me Sullivan, you must have seen through that curse."

"And you did not Howl? Dare you accuse me first when you were the one with him the whole time?"

"But we know you're powers are much stronger than mine. You're nearly twice my age now…"

"Flattery? Or was that offense by naming me an old woman?"

"Neither, just a simple fact." Howl bowed slightly. "That is actually the reason I came. I hope you have more knowledge than I on the nature of such things as Bloodstones."

"Bloodstones? Howl those are old and nearly extinct if not severely rare. I don't suppose you happened to have one in your possession?"

"Should that be the case, it's hardly a thing to be bargained about, considering the only place this stone shall be in the near future is shattered to pieces."

"Breaking a Bloodstone oath? Tell me Howl do you know the origins of how us human folk became so intertwined with magic? Magic is a thing of creature origin. Demons, Spirits, Fallen Angels, Dragons…the list goes on, the most powerful of them gave us our magic ability only through our human nature to learn and to take what is not originally ours to use. The oldest wizards and witches, sorcerers the same, would capture these creatures and either make oaths or deals to learn the magic, or capture them to find unveil its ways, which we later adapted into our own. It is nearly Neanderthal to our origins. These Bloodstones are rare instances where the creature and human being actually equally gave their own blood in an oath for both power and domination. Whether it was in threatening nature, or out of mutual attainment, they are rare for that reason alone. Most of them were lost, or at times broken, wherein the deal was a false one. There was a great divide in our past where the most powerful of creatures left this earth. You do not see great demons or great angels, let alone dragons or anything of that nature here in our world. Instead we are left with strange hybrid creatures that either evolved out of our own experimentation with a magic that wasn't ours originally or of some perverse contraception between them."

"Interesting enough, but I do hope there would be a way to break the bond…especially one that seems to be an active and dangerous one in the wrong hands. One existing long past the expiry date of the original human and demon."

"Howl, amuse my meanderings, but if you should be talking of that old amulet, the one I believe called Draconialis, I would hate to see it destroyed. Actually I think it should remain in the hands of one much more fit for it."

"War has long past Sullivan. And so has it's owner that so recently hoped to take it back as well. I only hope to destroy it to release the spirits inside, for I'm afraid it made someone quite dear to me near to death."

"I dare say you speak of the bold speaking girl who came here once pretending to be your mother? I warned her of you and your demons…"

"I have a heart Sullivan. It might be the only reason why I'm here. My demons have long past. What's more I'm not doing this for myself either."

"Well then tell me why I should not have you hand it over now? I see your injured, you tried to hide it well but it's clear. You stand less tall today Howl." Sullivan looked nearly unmoved by the ordeal.

"Because I wish to save Sophie for most than anything."

"Well I-" Sullivan began.

"_Sophie_? Did you say Sophie?"

They both turned to see the King's brother Prince Justin standing before them.

"In fact I did." Howl bowed a larger bow than he had for Sullivan.

"Then you will help him." He said calmly to Sullivan.

"I work only for your brother the King."

"You know well my brother has been ill since the war seaced. I stand to make such decision take over his absence while he is bedridden. His restless wars were always quite tiresome, it may have drove him down wards…while I can appreciate what it took to get me back, the true hero that brought be home was in fact Sophie. She was the one who released me from my curse." Prince Justin's words were both firm, but also kind in their diction.

"So the royal family is indebted to her now…I see." Sullivan said as equally as calm as before.

"Which is why, should she need anything, I would have it done for her."

"You are not King yet Prince Justin…" Sullivan warned.

"No but should my brother... my fiancé and I are next in line…If I need speak to him first I will. But Sophie will be aided." He looked seriously upturned by his situation.

"I would hate to think that news should arise at all Sullivan that you were not loyal to the wishes of the royal family?" Howl asked.

"And now you bribe me? Who would believe a sorcerer such as yourself, believed to consume the hearts of women?" Sullivan countered.

"Sophie is the reason the war is over. She is the reason that the Prince here is present. Knowing his curse now, I dare say the Prince cares for Sophie, nearly as much as I do. Let her live, she shouldn't suffer for my own demons." Howl persisted.

"Is that Sullivan I hear?"

Suddenly the King was wheeled in on a wheelchair much like Sullivan's, with a blonde assistant behind him.

"Why yes, your Majesty can grace our presence today can he? Feeling well?" Sullivan bowed her head slightly.

"Quite frankly the bed makes me fidgety, but unfortunately the lungs are still as dusted as can be…now tell me what have you here? Justin?"

"This sorcerer here asks information from Sullivan, as to save the young woman who broke the curse on me allowing me to return."

"And that's a good – _cough_ – thing do isn't it? Without you here, I dare say in my state someone like Sullivan might be next on the thrown! Hah, the preposterousness of it! What reason should you deny this Sullivan?" His loud, obnoxious voice was hindered by a raspy sound.

"Only the one that this man here refused to aid us in the fight of the war…but Sorcerer Howl…I guess I could reveal the only answer I do know… I don't think you'll happen to have much luck in it anyway."

"I humbly appreciate whatever information you are to give." Howl nodded.

"A Seraphastone: A stone in which the divine and rare fallen spirit of an angel, was bound with a human to share its power with. The product of such an act produced a Seraphastone, one that held the remaining power of the angel, allowing it to perform one good act once more, saving it from destruction, and becoming a creature of dark magic. This stone could break a Bloodstone, or at the least out-due it in unbinding the red human blood from it."

"Seems reasonable. I shall be leaving now…" Howl turned to the pair of brothers. "My humblest apologies for causing you to get out of bed, and my congradulations on your engagement."

"Haven't you been engaged for a while now too?" Prince Justin asked.

"Not particularly, but if the fates would have it, I would hope soon." Howl turned and left the three in a strange silence.

"Well I'm glad that was figured out…" Prince Justin left, still at unease at the news.

"Ah, jollygood! I will now return to bed. Say Sullivan, could you find a Seraphastone for the royal collection?"

"I would love to. A Bloodstone as well, however it isn't likely at all. The stone is opalescent, completely rare and are unknown to this world since prior to most Bloodstones disappearing themselves. They glow and unearthly color and are of pure myth. It was once said one roamed this world about fifty years ago, but since it seemed to disappear too. Not one witch nor wizard nor human has seen its presence still." Sullivan sighed. "Which is too bad, that girl really truly didn't deserve a fate as that, but it was her own fault for not aiding in Howl's enlistment the last time around."


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20: Moving Back To Where It Began**

"Calcifer… I need you to move the castle again." Howl emerged through the door of the castle rather abruptly, closing it behind just as quick.

"How did I not see this coming?" Calcifer complained, tinged with sarcasm. "Did you at least find a way to help Sophie? She's fading Howl…" His tone dropped lower, full of warn and worry.

"I have a hunch. I think I found ourselves a more permanent residency in a location where, for the most part, we shouldn't be bothered. I really hadn't intended to bring everyone there so soon, but I think Sophie would be happy to share…"

"Where are we going then?" Markl asked impatient.

"And why haven't we left already? Its no doubt the mean fancy old witch of the King's castle is having you followed…" Calcifer asked.

"Sulliman did follow me, but luckily I evaded that on the way over…at least for now. All the same, moving this castle will get us away from them again, and…I hope, closer to what I hope to find to save Sophie."

"Oh, and dare I ask what that something is?"

"Tell me Calcifer, have you ever heard of a Seraphastone?"

"…must I really answer this?" Calcifer seemed uncomfortable at the question.

"Calcifer?" Howl questioned his ally as a parent would drag information from a fibbing child.

"I haven't _actually_ heard of it particularly, I might be a demon but I'm not as _all_ knowing as I'd prefer…but I suspect the _seraph_-part of the stone, means it has something to do with– *_blech* – _angel..." He made a coughing noise, and stuck out his fiery tongue in mock disgust just before the word angel hit his lips.

"Not a fan?" Howl raised an eyebrow, his attention to his task, looking for the chalk, his eyes finding their way over to Sophie only for a quick moment, quickly to check and reassure himself she still had at least a breath, if not a pulse.

"Are you kidding me? Howl, picture me, but all white, so bright white you can't even stare at the thing! Blinding! Then, apart from what you think, is more likely to smite a human than even make a trade like us Demons do? They're stuck up! And when they do fall from whatever stupendous place they live, on occasion, I'm happy to say I wouldn't mind scorching one of them after they've gone all creature form... and might I add into a full crisp…" Calcifer's words were tinged with his fiery attitude and sass.

"A little harsh Calcifer?" Howl laughed slightly, as he made a chalk marking on the ground, about the centre of the home.

"No. Not one bit." His voice returned to sarcasm. "If they fall they become animals or simple minded creatures you know…loose all recollection of there status...and I don't even feel bad for them. At least when we fall we aren't punished to that…"

"Well, all the same, this stone, one rare enough that a demon doesn't even know about it, might be the only thing to break this Bloodstone."

"But won't you release Alashorn's spirit back out too if you destroy it?" Markl asked, sitting beside Sophie, his chin resting on his hands on the table, watching her faint breaths escape her, in her coma like slumber.

"No. Alashorn's spirit will not find a home in this world; his body is far gone from any physical form. If it escapes it will not last in this world, nor will any of the others…maybe they'll find an afterlife in some other place. Only Sophie's will should remain here, if my hopes are correct, her soul should still intend to reside where it should belong."

"Its true… few lingering spirits have found ways to hold onto this world... and only on the occasion the person's come up with some dark binding magic before their death…or they still have a body to rest in. Otherwise, off to the other side." Calcifer agreed.

"Alashorn wasn't the type to believe he would ever fall. I don't think he planned for death. He was too prideful for that." Howl's face became solemn. "However, I would have never expected this either." He looked to Sophie again, then turned to the door and left just as quickly.

"Wait! _Where_ are we going?" Markl got up and ran after Howl to the doorway.

"Luckily for us a place I've lived once before, and if we can do it right, we won't need to roam the wastes for a long time." Howl called back inside, painting the grass.

"Woah…hold it Howl. You want _me_ to move the _entire_ castle? Not just change it to a new location but…transport it? You're going for a full on teleportation spell? Are you nuts! Just because I'm still the one powering this-"

"Calcifer." Howl came back up the steps, his calm demeanor echoed in the room.

"Yes?" Calcifer almost seemed to sink into the wood.

"I know I don't have any power over you now, but at least, I ask you once more to do something as unselfish as to aid Sophie. This is only for her sake. I'm planning on settling permanently once his is over. No matter how it ends, there is little need for a moving castle if I ever want to give her...or myself a life without any more running away." Howl looked to Sophie thoughtfully on the table. "If you required my soul to make this move I would gladly give it."

"Woah, okay... no... no soul! I mean hey, just because I don't ask for payment this time, doesn't mean I'm going all-bright and white light-ish like those despicable..." His eyes diverted. " I mean you _will_ owe me eventually though, but hey, for Sophie, I'd give a lot more than just a little spark for her. She got us out of the mess we put ourselves in with that deal...I mean she did _once_ tell me the best blaze brightest when circumstances are at their worse…I mean I _guess_ she might have been right…" Calcifer's humble words came out strained.

"Calcifer, are you sure your not an angel in disguise?" Howl's words had a clear upbeat sound of both happiness and a mocking ring, as his brow rasied.

"Even an angel wouldn't do a favor for a freebee! Okay?! I'm a fire demon in a class of my own! Just be careful with me when you move me, just because I'm not attached to your heart doesn't mean you can just scoop me up now into that little shovel. I'm going to need a solid base for this one…one wrong move and this place is a pile of-"

"After all these years you think you'd trust me more Calcifer?" Howl shook his head with a small laugh. Markl noticed how Howl had seemed all so reserved. He glowed with Sophie around. Even he could see they were treading on thin ice with her.

But ever since his apprenticeship, he'd learned to believe in Howl just as much.

"This might take a lot out of us Markl. Be prepared to give Calcifer all that we have left of the scraps you got from the market earlier. I expect a new bound of logs as well for him."

"What about you?"

"I'll have to be fine. Should any wound open, a dose or two of a potion will work until I have time to heal again when this all subsides...at least one would expect so." Howl scooped Calcifer onto a platter he'd taken off the kitchen table for Sophie, and took three pieces of log onto it to sustain the demon. "I think between Calcifer and I we should manage to move the whole place quite permanently to our new location, but…I would grab a hold of something Markl."

Markl chose to grip onto the table, holding the end of Sophie's dress, either possibly for his own sake, or for Sophie's, in an attempt to hold her down with him.

"I don't have a long lock of hair to give you either Calcifer."

"I'll feed off your power for as long as I can until I can manage on my own. I don't want to drain you but it's going to be difficult. And would you hold the plate a bit more steady? These logs keep shifting…"

"Fair enough for me." Howl said, standing now on the chalk spot on the ground. He closed his eyes, and as once before when they moved, Calcifer seemed to fire ablaze a bluish colour, but this time, Howl looked much more forced than at any ease.

Markl watch the room shift, but strangely this time, the view outside the windows moved, the door seemed to shake almost off it's hinges, and more or less it felt like a terrible tornado had picked them up into the air, only to drop them in a new location.

At the end of it all the rooms had only slightly changed, all almost identical if not shifted their layout in the castle's floor plan. The door now only had two colors on the dial, signifying that this place they'd landed now, was one of the two places Howl intended on using to find the Seraphastone. What's more was it was strangely silent, if not for Howl's panting, and Calcifer's moan which broke it entirely.

"Ugh, that was the worst! Why here again Howl? Markl put me on the fireplace…Howl you don't look so good…" Calcifer chimed out, his own flame a bit smaller than he'd started at. His phrases seemed frantic, moving from one place to another, between Howl and Markl.

"Oh right!" Markl quickly grabbed Calcifer out of Howl's hands, and put him on the fire place, grabbing a mass amount of logs, as well as a quick trip to the other room for the remains of what appeared to be the raw form of a strange animal, which was missing it's face, and the latter part of it's hind legs, which Markl had given to Calcifer earlier on.

The sounds of Calcifer eating paused only long enough to allow Markl to hear Howl let out another deep breath before he took two steps and found a chair beside the kitchen table to which he landed hard in. "Give me a moment."

Calcifer and Markl wondered if he spoke to them or to Sophie to whom he'd placed his hand on her arm.

"You don't look good. That was too soon. I know it had to be soon, but for you it-" Calcifer said warily still chomping away.

"Well it's a good thing I didn't have stitches or anything from my wound for it would have surely ruptured…then again, I get the feeling that hot pain in my arm isn't from Calcifer's blue flame burning me…" Howl looked to his arm, his soot coloured hair moving with the motion of it, brushing over his cheeks. He stared at it to find a small dabbles of blood seeping through his shirt. "Another shirt wrecked." He said.

"You sound like Sophie…" Markl said, not in a way to emphasize the predicament, but rather as innocently as it was true.

"Which is why, no matter the small or large dilemma, we made it here so now we must continue." Howl got out of his chair.

"But _where_ are we?" Markl still asking the same question he'd asked from the start of Howl's return from the King's castle.

"A place I knew as home for a long time. A haven I'd chose to share with Sophie, and now, and the end of it all I find it a strange place considering it's also the location where it all began." Howl looked from Sophie to Calcifer, to the door, which he opened rather calmly.

And as it swung open, Markl saw, the most beautiful of fields of flowers, amongst water that perfectly mirrored the blue clouded sky, and just beyond the horizon, a small stone house, that just barely skimmed his view.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: Going Back to Find The Future**

"So what is here that you need?" Markl asked with Calcifer's spark around his neck, as they approached the old house, through the scenic valley.

"I don't get it either. You're not hoping to find a Seraphastone out here are you? I mean, that's pushing it a little. Just because I landed around here..."

"I'm not quite sure of myself either. It's not so much that what I need is _here,_ but rather that it may have been here. I must first make sure before I leave the rest to you two." Howl said as they approached the small home.

He opened it to reveal rooms, stone, cold rooms, that looked as if they had the ruminants of a home to them. Bare shelves, few stools and chairs, amongst dust, that flew in the sun rays coming through the windows.

The way the sun seeped in, it didn't look cold in the sense that the room looked foreboding but rather, gave an atmosphere of nostalgia.

The old ghosts of its previous owner, and the life that was lived there.

"You used to live here?" Markl said, hearing his steps echo through the quaint rooms.

"My uncle had this place furnished with magic. If you can imagine my room in our castle, I must say I got my taste from him." He said, carefully putting down Sophie, only so he could take off his cape to use as a floor blanket for her to lie. "It is also a place of secrets; that man, no matter how well an apprentice I became, in his eyes I was always an apprentice. He left this world before he could tell me all his secrets, and there were a very few that I have actually been able to unearth."

"You found me just after he died." Calcifer's voice proclaimed, quietly.

"It's true. It wasn't long until Sullivan heard of his passing, she came here and acquired me as her new apprentice. It also became clearer, of course not completely transparent until many years later; Sullivan's intentions were always a bit lopsided. When my own intentions followed my Uncle's nature for seclusion and rebellion of the domestic Wizard, it seemed obvious that once even she clashed with my Uncle during his time. I wish I would have known that to begin with, but the old man never told me much about his past life." Howl traced his hand against the wall, where a stone, built in fireplace stood. Similar grey stones, as if hand laid together, bumpy and warn, almost held together by just pure will or magic, created the mantle.

"How come you made the deal with Calcifer, if you were here with your Uncle, Howl?" Markl asked.

"Why wouldn't he? I'm the perfect demon to have around!"

"I did it because my Uncle had in fact told me about old myths of binding with demons and such. He even informed me a bit about the old amulets that existed such as the Draconialis. He warned me of their power and nature, always dancing around my inquisitive nature of wanting to know more than I should. But there was one thing that, upon my recollections of my time here, has me suspicious, now knowing what I do…"

"What?" Markl asked.

Howl smiled at the young boy's eagerness to learn. His smile faded as he looked to Sophie again. There was the loud ticking of a clock looming over his mind, expecting to hear the ticking stop, the moment her breath quieted. It was a clock counting down, a timer of limited time, and her pale face was leaving him even more worried now that it may be ever so much closer.

"My uncle once took out an item he hid in this fireplace. It's also why I chose the fireplace to hide Draconialis from Sophie. It's right under your nose…and yet without the right touch, it remains stone. I always admired the clever nature of it. However, back then, I was still a child. I'd awoken from my sleep one evening, not long after my apprenticeship started under him. He took something out of this stone mantle…it was a strange object, glowed, made the walls of this room move like the floor was water, and an effervescent light of technicolor hit the walls creating a mesmerizing effect. Only the Moon peaking through that window and that strange item in his hand that illuminated the room.

Whatever that beautiful object was, whatever could emit such a strong ethereal light, was something I wished to know more about. But I knew my uncle better than that. It had never been my choice to become a Sorcerer. I was in his guardianship, and he'd long decided, a boy such as myself, as feeble as my parents had been, required a mentor like him. However he was a tough man…hard headed…I knew my sneaking around and my being awake, as well as my trait of sticking my fingers in matters that don't require such involvement would only lead to punishment.

That night I thought I got away without him seeing me.

However, the next day, I found the object was not in the fireplace hiding spot- two bricks down, four to the left, and the swift tracing motion of an old magic relic sign I didn't recognize, provided me with no clues.

The next time I mentioned it was not long before his death years later, when he told me everything he had in this house would be mine. I asked him if he would tell me where he hid all of his most coveted objects, and he said only time would tell.

I found in the Will he gave me everything but that object's location. I don't doubt there are other things he never explicitly gave me either. When he died, I'd become so overcome with becoming a Sorcerer, and existing independently, I had never looked specifically for it. Eventually it's existence left my mind, and instead my mind returned to my own lack of power and a loneliness overcame me. That's also when I decided to use the information my Uncle told me about falling stars and demons. He warned me about the nature of the magic, but grief lead me to another chapter of my life apparently…"

"You don't actually think your Uncle just _happened_ to have a_ Seraphastone?_ Do you know how uncommon it is for a Seraph or Angel to fall?" Calcifer's voice sounded rather skeptical.

"I'm afraid I can only hope."

"If you don't know where he hid it why are we here then?" Markl asked.

"Well…Sophie's discovery that the door of the Moving Castle can transport us not only through locations of current time, but the past, made me realize I could use it, to find it in the past."

"You know it only worked because of her ring…it drove her to me... in the past…" Calcifer's voice jumped in.

"Strangely I've come to figure out the ring rather lead her to what her heart wanted most… on that note, I require you Markl to stay here with Calcifer's spark. If what I covet I could only find in the past, if I return it to a place I can find it now…"

"Ah, so in a few moments from now if it works, Markl and I should be able to find the…_item_ …here in the mantle?" Calcifer asked.

"And if the _item_ IS a Seraphastone we can save Sophie!" Markl nodded.

"Another reason why, I need you to look after her. I have the rest of that elixir I used earlier on herself and I. Should her breaths draw themselves out any longer or fainter then they are now, give it to her, so she should survive until I return. I plan to break the stone myself if this works, on the occasion it gives us any trouble … I don't know if the Dragons will reawaken upon the occasion."

"_If…if_ it _is_ the _Seraphastone."_ Calcifer's words were bitter true, but softened by the fear of loosing Sophie.

"I'll be back. Calcifer, I'm going to need your assistance again, to keep the portal open." Howl got up and left back for their new abode in the field.

He closed the door to their now immobile castle and exhaled a long breath out.

"I think you're crazy for trying to use a time spell on that old door… especially when you know how limited a time Sophie had in the past. Can you really pull it off?"

"Unfortunately my Uncle never wore a ring to which we shared a bond, to unify time…" Howl looked to his hand. He took a small pin off a nearby side table that Sophie had left, after sewing more of her hats.  
>He then pricked his finger, and using his other hand, he twisted the nob of the door so that it landed on the black side of the white and black halved dial.<p>

He used his blood to draw out a design on the door. He recollected the moment deep and clear in his memory.

"Hold the fort down for me Calcifer. Make sure Markl handles what responsibility I left him with well. He means well."

Howl then lept through the door into the darkness.

He moved to a dim light ahead. He saw it the flame on the table his Uncle used to sit by late at night. The picture became clearer as he got closer.

_Uncle, I don't doubt you had twice as many secrets as I, but at the least, could the reason you wanted me so far from this stone… was you were always frightened of the nature of demons and angels…_

_It makes me wonder._


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: Time Will Tell**

Howl found himself emerging into the room, hidden behind the door to his Uncle's basement, watching the scene of himself as a young boy hide as his Uncle took out the strange object from the mantle.

His Uncle, was somewhat like him in appearances, but had the long hair and beard of a man of both wisdom and bitterness, knowledge and the danger of knowledge. His jaw was much harder looking. His uncle had taken care of him well as a youth, and no matter how tough his love, his ways of affection had given Howl the reality check that he would not survive in this world unless he could prove his own worthiness.

He'd always assumed the younger him had never deserved whatever item he'd hidden here, but maybe…it was just a matter of a time paradox. Should he steal the item now, there would be no chance that his younger self could have found it there, whether or not his Uncle Pendragon had moved it. But it was now for him to find out whether his assumptions had been true.

He could hear his uncle mutter words to himself from this position, something he could not do at the far hallway as a child.

"A dangerous and petty heirloom to retain for my family unless it is used in the right way. I never preferred the magic of borrowing from the greater spirits…but alas; they are the makers of the magic we use. I hope I if not, Howl finds a good use of this one day." His voice was soft and raspy, talking to himself, as if he was reassuring himself of the object's validity to be passed on. It glowed in his hand, illuminating the room as if it was water, reflections of colours, opalescent. His other hand was nervously at his lips, as if he had been contemplating much more than he revealed.

Howl noticed that his uncle must have seen his young self in the reflection of the glass containers on the mantle. It was just as quickly he saw the object disappear back into the mantle, than his Uncle had turned to shoo him back to bed.

He took the advantage of the empty room to uncover the object. It was second before he had it in his hand. It was in fact a stone, rounded, sleek, and it similarly moved the room in reflective color in Howl's hand. The revelation that this now could be a Seraphastone was cemented into his brain, as the last bit of hope he could cling to. However he could not leave without leaving his Uncle an answer as to its disappearance that would not cause him to look for it. He snapped his thumb against his finger and produced a small piece of paper he left in the place of the stone. The mantle soon returned to its original arrangement.

He then returned through the same doors he came, just as his spell broke and the world began to twist into colors around him.

Soon after Howl's uncle returned to the Mantle, with an intention to move the stone to a better hiding place. Instead he found a note;

_If this gem is as precious as you allude it to be, you will be well to know it is will land safe in the hands of our bloodline, and intends to be used to save an innocent life.  
>I bare all my knowledge and power thanks to you. I hope you can forgive me. I always stuck my fingers in places they didn't belong. But although you may never understand why I took it, as you told me once: I'm hoping time will tell. And now I have received everything in your will, dear Uncle.<em>

_– __Sorcerer H. Pendragon_

His Uncle smiled and replaced the bricks in the mantle, letting the note fall into the warm flame of the fire beneath it. "Yes, Howl, only time can tell."

* * *

><p>"Howl, did you get it?"<p>

Howl leaned against the side of the door. He looked wary, and tired. "I have it safe, here with me."

"Then hurry and bring it to Markl and Sophie!"

"I …I can't just yet. I have to return to the past once more before it can truly become in our possession…"

"Are you serious? You'll exert all your power with another spell like that? The door even doesn't look as well as it did before…" Calcifer looked past Howl to the door. It stood now, slightly unhinged.

Howl shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Here is the problem Calcifer: If I had informed my Uncle of our plans in the note I left and left it to him to put it in a different hiding place… my child self may have found it on another occasion. I looked for that stone for a while until I lost interest in that pursuit. On top of that, I cant allow my past self to attain that stone. My tendencies for recklessness back then would whisk away any possibility of still existing or being available to use it now."

"So?"

"However bringing it into this world directly in the open fields, espeically after departing Sullivan's castle, would be problematic. Knowing her, I now that she gave me the knowledge of the Seraphastone, and expects I may be searching for it… leads me to believe that even if we had evaded them, bringing it's presence into the open now, beyond the confines of my uncle's and my own magically protected home, would be problematic. I suspect she would attempt to take it for her own. Instead I must go back to the time after I looked for it, and place it in the mantle in a slightly different spot using my own spell. This way the illusion of its absence will remain to my past self. The moment I put it in its new place in the past, should be the same the moment in the present Markl will be able to attain it in the future. Or so I hope."

"Time is a tricky thing Howl…" Calcifer said. "And controlling it is also problematic. You might not make it back, with those injuries and lack of power. You already gave all of that elixir to Markl for Sophie."

"And so, I may later have to deal with those consequences later, but for now I prefer to save Sophie without putting her in more danger than she needs to be in." Howl turned and put a new emblem on the door before escaping through it.

Calcifer watched impatiently at the door once again. "We'll all be lucky both Sophie and Howl get out of this one alive."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: Tears Of Blue**

Markl sat impatiently.

"Now Calcifer?"

"No, no not now."

"What happened? Did He return yet?"

"No, well kind of, but just wait it out kid. How's Sophie doing?"

Markl was sitting between the mantle and Sophie.

"I don't like it Calcifer. I don't know…I keep thinking she's stopped ...you know...breathing... but she hasn't and-" Markl couldn't hid his fear, his voice shaking.

"How many seconds between her breaths…" Calcifer tried to speak strongly.

"It was five a minute ago…"

"Count them again." Calcifer commanded from the necklace.

"1…2…3…4…5."

"Keep doing that until I tell you." Calcifer said. "Howl will be here...soon..._I hope..."_

Meanwhile Calcifer back at the now immobile castle, staring hard at the door. Howl hadn't returned yet. What if the spell broke? No the emblem was still glowing. What if Howl finally broke? What if he was too weak? "I CANT STAND IT! Since when did I have to sign up for the immobile job of protecting this place. He doesn't even want me to move it anymore…"

"Calcifer!"

Suddenly Calcifer was drawn back to Markl.

"What?"

"It's now 9 seconds! It's slowing!" Markl stood wide eyed. He saw Sophie's head droop off to the side a bit. "CALCIFER!"

"Okay, quick grab that vial that Howl gave you! The vial…it's elixir that should keep her breathing …or heal her or-"

Markl nodded and frantically ran for the vial. He took it and poured it into her mouth, as carefully as he could.

"Calcifer is he back yet?" Markl asked for the one hundredth time.

"No…but if he's not soon, I'm afraid it will all be for nothing..."

"What do you mean?" Markl looked scared to Sophie. His inner fears coming to a head.

"I mean that- WAIT, wait! Howl's back! Howl's back! I repeat! He said three to the left and six down! Trace them and use the hiding rune he left for you on that paper! Oh man he doesn't look good…"

Markl nodded and moved closer to the Mantle, following Howl's instructions, the bricks moved and revealed an object.

"Markl!" Suddenly the door opened, Howl present, looking flush. "Is it there?"

"This is it?" Markl said. He turned to reveal a rock in his hand, rather the same size and shape as the stone was, but it didn't illuminate the room like it had before.

"No..." Howl looked at it. "... my Uncle wouldn't have switched it out. He couldn't have. And nobody could have known it was there. It's not possible. It has to be it." Howl walked over to Markl and stared at it hard.

"Howl, Markl had to use the Elixer not that long ago, but it might not hold out …her breaths were getting more spread apart and shorter, we don't have much time." Calcifer yelled out through the necklace.

Howl instinctively took the stone from Markl's hand and at that moment, it seemed to shed it's grey stone appearance and became fluid and opal, shining bright, illuminating the room's shadows.

"It's it!" Markl said.

"I really hope so." Howl took a breath out now. "It's not truly affirmed, but that's how Sullivan described it. My Uncle should have been aware I took it, so if it wasn't truly useful I have the feeling he would have sent me a message back to tell me otherwise. Hand me the Amulet."

Markl gave him the Amulet out of a small bag on the broken table.

"Why did it not respond to me?" Markl asked.

"I think it was an heirloom…my uncle made it sound so in the past…" Howl admitted.

"If that's true, whatever oath or promise your ancestor made with that spirit, would have had to have been a powerful one, enough to allow your family to use it's power, not just the person who it belonged to. Angels are stingy…they don't give their powers to anyone. It's like me deciding that I would help out all of your children…I mean you'd have to do me a big favor to-" Calcifer piped in.

"It's time." Howl said.

"You don't look so good ..." Markl said quietly, concerned.

"I will be fine. I will rest the moment this is over. Expect the Spirit Dragons to return…so be careful." Howl took the stone and the amulet and he suddenly banged the Seraphastone against the Bloodstone.

Nothing.

He tried again. _If I ask one thing, it's that Sophie remains safe for the rest of her life. She doesn't deserve this. If it's the last thing I do…_

He put the amulet on the ground, and with a tight fist he took the Seraphastone and just as the strange opalescent lights hit the wall once again, his hair moved up with power, his eyes straight at the dragon stone, and he jabbed it like a knife into the core of the amulet.

A clink sound echoed in the room.

"Did it work? It had to have I mean-"

"Wait Calcifer, look …something is happening…" Markl instinctlively took the necklace in his hands, muffling Calcifer's works, anxious as the clinking turned to cracking.

"It's breaking. Be careful…if it does let the dragon spirits loose, they're will likely be a fit of energy exploding around here." Howl whispered, as suddenly the slightest of crack gained it's momentum and the Draconialis bloodstone parted in a cavernous two.

At the same time Howl felt the Seraphastone in his hand begin to crumble. It too had been shattered slightly in the force. It took the pure energy of a seraph to undo the damage of the darkest of demons. It cut his hand at it broke , and as his faint trail of blood seared downwards, the stone was nothing but moonstone dust on the floor.

"Howl! Look!" Markl cried as he ran backwards.

A swirling motion of air formed around them, dark images of the dragons seemed to be drawn into the vortex that surrounded the small cabin like a hurricane.

Howl quickly took Sophie into his arms. He didn't have the time to check if she was breathing. Or maybe it was denial of the bitter thought. Instead just as they departed the cabin, the roof blew off.

Suddenly the dragon spirits seemed to twitch in the sky, and like small fireworks of white light and unworldly colors, they began to loose the spirits that they'd once devoured. Howl wondered how many spirits Alashorn had let them consume back in the dark days. How many spirits might find rest. How many spirits might end up in the darkest of places for their warlike ways.

Like a fireworks display, just as the sun was almost completely down, he waited impatiently to see the fragments of spirit return to Sophie.  
>She wasn't dead. She just wasn't.<br>They belonged to her.  
>For Her, he'd give her his soul if that was what it took to return them.<p>

It seemed as if nearly nothing was left of the dragon spirits now – their blackened shadows and demonic eyes pale, and translucent, their ghostly roars barely more audible than the winds.

Markl looked to Howl. His eyes to Howl's arms. "_Sophie…_" He whispered bleakly, his wide eyes aloof with the haunting thought that crossed their minds. Was it a twist of cruel fate that because not all of her had been stolen, that not all of her would ever be whole again? Was it all or nothing? Could the pieces be reassembled?

Suddenly a soft popping noise brought their attention to the dragons. One of them had disappeared. All that was left was the faint glimmer of a silver spirit, weak, almost the color of pale blue spinel sparked down towards them, like a falling leaf from a tree.

They watched silently as it seemed to find it's way to Sophie's forehead, and like a drop of water, it found its way to her again.

Suddenly the rest of the dragons began to disappear and with them, each released fragments of the last soul they took. Like faint drops of water, that floated down, ghostly, defying gravity, found their way to Sophie.

It was all that Howl needed. Was to feel her chest against his shirt, move up and down, stronger than before, that he'd realized he'd finally gotten her back.

Somewhere in his past his own ancestors had given him the tool to make up for his folly – that Seraphastone. Maybe it was ironic that he had a demon looking after him…when unknowingly he may have had an angel to.

But none of it mattered now, they could return home.

He put his forehead to hers.

And all at once, something all too close to a real drop of water fell onto her cheek, a sign of happiness, and a sign of the anxious pain finally being able to leave his heart.

* * *

><p><em><span>Authors Note:<span>  
>Okay…so not done (almost but not quite)! But also, I am...barely...alive...drowning...in paper...papers...readings...save me from this...ocean of... okay, okay I'm in University, and drowning in the homework. But I really want to wrap my stories up. Expect more in two weeks (sorry bout the wait) and maybe even more around Christmas… (my breaks). I apologize for dragging stories out. I do it way too often (…Bad Brianna…bad…*slaps hand*)but I hate pushing myself to write when I'm not really focused because they never come out quite as well.<br>Anyway, I'm going to tie this story up with a nice bow soon. If anyone has any ideas about a sequel or anything hit me with a review!  
>xoxo PurpleDancer xox<em>


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24: Peaceful Things, and New Rings**

Howl put Sophie into the couch at their new more stationary "castle" home. Her breathing moved her chest up and down at a steady pace now. The color of rose blush grew stronger on her cheeks with every breath.

"So what now?" Markl asked quietly.

"Nothing." Howl took a breath. His own shoulder still bitter sore. That was the last of the elixir. "The weather should get back to normal soon. The clouds are letting up now. I think all of that energy conjured a bit of a storm. We should remain here for a while." Howl put his hands on his hips looking out from the window. The Seraphastone was gone. And so was the Bloodstone. Nothing that Sullivan wanted remained. "I think it about time your training got a little more intense anyway don't you Markl?"

"Yea…just not right away." Markl nodded eagerly before it faded as he slumped into a chair behind him. "I think I need a break too…"

"If it wasn't for your patience Sophie wouldn't be here Markl." Howl added.

"And what about me?" Calcifer asked, expectantly.

Suddenly a small groan came from Sophie on the lounge.

"Sophie?" Howl inquired lightly, walking towards her, kneeling down beside her. Calcifer and Markl looked anxiously at each other from behind.

Sophie's eyes fluttered before slowly opening to the image of Howl above her. She felt strange. Weighted. She could barely remember what had happened…before…  
>"Alashorn!" She said suddenly with wide eyes, raising herself up off the couch.<p>

"Sophie, now relax." Howl gently put his hands on her shoulders and rested her back down. "Alashorn is gone. His spirit never returned to him…he was long past due."

"But how-"

"You should have seen it Sophie! Howl went back in time to get this Serphstone for you, and we nearly thought it didn't work but when Howl held it it glowed so bright! And then he destroyed the …Dragon stone and then-"

Sophie laughed at Markl's eager animations. She was happy he retained his child-like glow after all had happened.

"Don't forget about me. Or do I just warm the fireplace now…" Calcifer crossed his arms.

"Well actually, I ought to say as much… If it weren't for you Sophie, and Calcifer's presence, I wouldn't have defeated him as I did. That necklace presented as the perfect guise to steal the amulet from him. I was naïve to think I could go about it alone but-" Howl looked back to Sophie.

"Not to mention all of the information _I provided_ about the Dragon demons…and stones and-" Calcifer droned on.

"Didn't Sullivan tell Howl-" Markl corrected.

"Sullivan? Howl you couldn't!" Sophie exclaimed.

"That's not completely it Sophie." Howl sighed. "I think this is not what the doctor ordered for any of us-"

"But you said you wouldn't lie to me …"

Howl was about to persist and stopped himself. "Well, I had to go to Sullivan to find out if how to destroy the Bloodstone. It was the only way to get you back. Luckily my uncle had owned one…I suspect how will remain a mystery, but neither exist now, and we are quite stationary and safe existing in these fields. I wish to protect all of us, and let us all heal. I think it a long time coming that this all comes to a rest."

"Do you have any more secrets?"

"Nothing of this amount or measure."

"Howl?"

"We all have our pasts, but I promise you Sophie, I will not with hold any more truths. Nor shall anything come up. Which reminds me…"

"…how much Calcifer helped out too. If it wasn't for him she never would have gone to the lair and he never would have figured out how to kill him…and helped keep her safe on her wreckless-" Calcifer interrupted, speaking on his behalf.

Howl shook his head, nearly rolling his eyes at Calcifer's persistence with a laugh. "Calcifer if you _hadn't_ allowed her to come-"

"You might have been dead Howl. And _I_ couldn't bring _you_ back." Sophie placed her hand on his cheek, pulling his face back to hers.

"Which is why, I've come to see something Sophie."

Howl suddenly took the ring off of her finger that would normally guide her to Calcifer.

Sophie looked confused. Was Howl…was he hoping to distance Calcifer and them from her? So she wouldn't be able to find the castle? But they were stationary? Why would he remove the ring?

She must have stepped too far.

"If this adventure has shown me one thing…"

She was right. His eyes drifted down.

"...It is that I don't want us ever to be apart again."

Sophie blinked and noticed that Howl had replaced the ring with a new ring. It had a golden band and a white crystal on it, very similar to the last. Suddenly a beam emerged from it and it pointed straight to Howl.

"Howl!" She exclaimed.

"I don't suppose this would be a bad time to also add that that ring was an engagement ring, if you don't decline of course…"

"Of course I wouldn't Howl!" She suddenly her torso up off the lounge, moving forward to embrace Howl, nearly knocking him over.

"Good, I'd feared I may have put you through too much this time." He looked down to her, holding her hands in his close to their chests.

"Never, Howl, Never."

He smiled at her, as the affection melted into a kiss.

"I hope you don't mind that this ring also means that I can find you all the time as well." He flashed a similar ring on his own hand.

"Well I- Now Howl did you presume that I would agree to the engagement if you were already wearing your ring!?"

"Not so much presumed as hoped. I can only hope it will never leave your finger."

"You know Howl, they say a controlling boyfriend never makes for a good relationship." Calcifer broke the barrier between Sophie and Howl, and Calcifer and Markl who had been watching.

"Oh don't make mind of it. Plus he's not _just_ my boyfriend anymore Calcifer." Sophie laughed.

"Sophie never withholds that boldness…" Howl was somewhat even more entranced by her eagerness to declare him her fiancé. "You know, I shouldn't have made the Castle so Stationary…I suspect we will eventually need to go on a honey moon."

"Oh, no. You can have your wedding here, sure, sure, but Markl and I do not want to be in the middle of all this mushy stuff on that honey moon. It was bad enough before - right Markl?" Calcifer asked.

"Well that, depends, I guess. Where are you guys going to go for the Honey moon?"

"See I always knew you'd make a good ring bearer Markl!" Sophie and Howl laughed as Markl suddenly blushed uncomfortably.


End file.
